Scots thug who battered female cop unconscious after threatening to kill woman spared jail

A thug who battered a female police officer unconscious after threatening to kill a woman was spared jail over the offences today.

Max Hirst attacked Police Constable Samantha Alderson during a series of incidents earlier this year.

He threatened to kill a woman in Cedar Avenue, Johnstone, Renfrewshire, on January 14 this year.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard he acted aggressively, shouted, swore and repeatedly made "threats to kill" her.

He then lashed out at the female cop, kicking her on the body, which caused her to fall to the ground.

She struck her head in the fall and was knocked out, leaving her injured.

Hirst pleaded guilty to four charges previously and returned to the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court today, Friday, February 27, 2026, to be sentenced.

He had admitted assaulting PC Alderson in the execution of her duty and behaving in a threatening or abusive way by threatening to kill the other woman.

He also admitted threatening violence and shouting and swearing at staff members at Dykebar Hospital, in Paisley, the day before.

And he had owned up to assaulting a retail worker during a previous incident.

He had struck the Morrisons worker, at the branch in Paisley, on the head and threatened to kill him on October 28 last year.

He was on bail over three other court cases at the time - two from Paisley and one from Glasgow.

The 25-year-old could have been jailed for up to 18 months for the offences.

But Hirst, of Johnstone, was spared prison and placed on a Community Payback Order (CPO).

The CPO will see him being supervised by social workers for a period of 18 months and having to complete 150 hours of unpaid work in the community.

He has 12 months to complete the unpaid work and the sentence was imposed as a direct alternative to a custodial sentence.