Former Scots cop dodges court over domestic abuse charge amid hospital claims
A former police officer accused of domestic abuse dodged court - amid claims he had been admitted to hospital.
Alan Cluckie was due to appear in the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court to face a charge of attacking his partner at their home.
But he was not in attendance for his scheduled hearing, with a lawyer representing him saying he had been told Cluckie was in hospital.
The solicitor in question said Cluckie's brother had made a telephone call and advised that he was unwell in Paisley's Royal Alexandra Hospital.
Sheriff Gillian Craig continued the case without plea for Cluckie to be present and for him to provide vouching that he was in hospital.
Cluckie is alleged to have attacked his partner at their home in Linwood, Renfrewshire, last month.
Prosecutors claim the 63-year-old, who retired from the force, lashed out on Wednesday, September 2, 2026.
He is said to have assaulted Janette Anderson by punching her on the head and grabbing her by the hair.
It's claimed he then pulled her by the hair and pushed his nails into her skin, leaving her injured.
Cluckie was arrested by Police Scotland officers and held in custody overnight, before appearing in the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court.
He made no plea to the single charge of assault to injury he faces, which contains an aggravation that the offence involved abuse of his partner.
During that hearing, defence solicitor Kirsty McGeehan, a partner in law firm McGeehan and Company, told the court that Cluckie was able to be put up in homeless accommodation.
She said he would have to present as homeless as he had nowhere else to go and that bail conditions would prevent him from returning to his home.
The lawyer added: "There is no issue in relation to identification evidence [of the accused] of Miss Anderson."
Sheriff Kevin Duffy continued the case without plea and released Cluckie on bail with special conditions.
The special conditions were that he was not to approach or contact Janette Anderson and not to enter his former home street, in Linwood's Stirling Drive.
But he returned to the home he shared with Miss Anderson and was arrested at the property later that day.
He was again held in police custody overnight, before again appearing in the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court.
He was again represented by Mrs McGeehan during that hearing, where the fresh case against him, for breaching bail conditions, was also continued without plea.
He is due back in court over both cases next week.
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