A THUG who chased a stranger in the street with a hammer and went on to hit a police officer with the weapon has avoided jail.

John Shankly, 48, brandished the hammer at four people in Rutherglen streets on March 30. When cops arrived, he assaulted an officer by striking him on the chest with it.

He appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court for sentencing.

Prosecutor fiscal depute Monique Cooney said: “A man was walking along Burnhill Street at 5.35pm and observed the accused walking on the pavement towards him, on the other side of the road. He was in possession of a hammer and swinging it around.

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“The man removed his earphones to be more aware of his surroundings. The accused began crossing the road and brandished the hammer above his head.

“The man suspected that the accused had mistaken him for someone else and removed his mask and put his hands above his head. However, the accused continued to run towards him brandishing the hammer. The man became fearful and ran back along Burnhill Street and onto Main Street.

“He entered Iceland and informed the security guard, who contacted police. They viewed CCTV footage.

“At 9.40pm another man was heading along Farmeloan Road and the accused was behind him, shouting. He brandished the hammer towards him. The man used a gap in traffic to run across the road and maintain distance. He removed his phone from his pocket and called police.

“Another person was driving along Dalmarnock Road with a passenger in the car. They were stopped at traffic lights. The accused ran towards the vehicle swinging the hammer. The driver took evasive action and tried to drive around the offender. They continued to travel along Dalmarnock Road before stopping the vehicle and contacting police.”

Officers were provided with a description that matched the description from the man involved in the earlier incident.

They were driving when they spotted Shankly with the hammer. Officers stopped the vehicle and asked him to drop the weapon, but he started to run off.

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As the cops tried to approach him, he struck an officer to the chest with the hammer.

Ms Cooney said: “The officer extended his baton and struck the accused to the rear of the legs. He continued to make off.

“The officers managed to gain hold of him. They took him to the ground and restrained him. He was taken to Cathcart police station.”

Shankly’s defence solicitor said: “It’s a very serious matter. It must have been terrifying for the victims and police. He accepts his involvement. He has behaved himself since and has nothing else outstanding. It meets the custody threshold but there is an alternative.”

Sheriff Allan McKay ordered Shankly to be under social work supervision for one year and stay within his home in the Gorbals from 10pm-5am for 160 days.

He said: “This is a very serious matter. My first thoughts are to send you to prison but I’m obliged to see if there’s an alternative and the report indicates there is.”