A man has narrowly avoided a prison sentence after bullets were discovered in a safe at his home in Motherwell. Scott Taylor, 32, admitted to possessing ammunition without a certificate, as well as assault and threatening behaviour.
Incident Details
The incident occurred on November 5, 2024, at Taylor’s flat in Glen Tower, Motherwell. Taylor had been at a fireworks display and had been drinking. Around 9pm, he began arguing with another person, leading to police being called.
When officers arrived, Taylor slammed the front door shut. He eventually opened it but was holding an empty Buckfast bottle and threatened to slash the police. Prosecutor Katie Allen told Hamilton Sheriff Court: “He was extremely aggressive. One officer put his foot against the door to stop him closing it again and the police eventually opted to deploy Pava spray.”
Another police unit attended, and officers eventually gained entry and arrested Taylor. Police had received information about weapons in the property, obtained a firearms warrant, and found a safe containing four bullets. Forensic examination confirmed the ammunition was viable.
Court Proceedings
Defence lawyer Scott Jones said Taylor “expresses deep regret” for his behaviour. He explained the argument was over a pizza order, calling it “as ridiculous as that.” Regarding the bullets, Jones stated: “He bought them out of curiosity, not realising they were viable bullets. He thought they were dummies.”
Sheriff John Speir acknowledged Taylor’s problematic criminal record but decided to impose an alternative to custody. Taylor was placed under supervision for a year, ordered to complete 225 hours of unpaid community work, and electronically tagged for 18 weeks, enforcing a 7pm to 7am curfew.
