Murderer who threatened to run over cyclist spared jail

A convicted murderer who was out of prison on licence has been spared being sent back to jail after threatening to run over a cyclist who happened to be an off-duty police officer.

The incident happened on 14 August last year close to the Faslane naval base in Argyll & Bute, home to the UK’s Triident submarines, reports the Daily Record.

Andrew Rodger – jailed for life in 1987 after he used a crowbar to kill a swimming pool attendant who caught him trying to steal from a vending machine, and released in 2006 – pleaded guilty at Dumbarton Sheriff Court to shouting, swearing and threatening the victim, and to assault.

The victim in the incident, which happened on the A814 close to Faslane, was an off-duty Ministry of Defence Police Officer who recorded what happened on a camera mounted on his bike.

Fiscal depute Gemma McKechnie told the court that the victim was riding along the road when he became aware of a white van behind him, which was being driven by Rodger.

She said that Rodger overtook another vehicle with the cyclist, who was afraid for his safety, making a hand gesture at the driver.

Further along the road, the rider stopped and Rodger pulled in next to him, with Ms McKechnie telling the court that the driver shouted: “Who the f*ck do you think you are? I am allowed to overtake you. This is a road.”

Rodger continued shouting, telling the rider: “I heard a cyclist get knocked down by a car and I can see why. You are a c*nt. If there was no-one about I would f*ck*ng run you over and I would laugh.

“The only reason I don’t is I don't want the f*ck*ng jail. You are a c*nt.”

The prosecutor told the court: “The witness informed the accused he was recording the incident on his cycle-mounted camera and the accused returned to his van.

“He returned holding a black torch and thereafter lunged in an attempt to strike the witness, causing him to move backward.”

Rodger drove off but the victim and another witness reported the incident to the police, who arrested him a few hours later.

Speaking in mitigation, Rodger’s lawyer said that his client, who lives in Garelochead, had made friends in the community who had been assessed as helping prevent him from re-offending, and that he undertook bricklaying and painting and decorating for local people.

“Assessments were carried out in 2016 and 2018, which assessed him as low risk,” he said.

“Mr Rodger has shown genuine contrition. He is horrified by his behaviour and accepts he never should have behaved in such a manner.

He continued: “The reason Mr Rodger stopped was because he perceived the hand gesture to be obscene. Whether his perception is right or wrong, it’s his behaviour thereafter which is the issue.

“Regrettably, when it escalated, the discussion became more heated, Mr Rodger returned to his vehicle and removed a torch which he then pursued the complainer with.”

Sheriff Simon Pender sentenced Rodger to a community payback order with two years of supervision and 250 hours of unpaid work.

He told Rodger: “You should be in no doubt that this is an extremely serious offence, especially given your record which includes a previous conviction for murder. Your actions were wholly unacceptable.

“I take account of your conduct since you were released on licence, I have concluded, not without hesitation, that I can just deal with you by a direct alternative to custody.”

The sheriff also imposed a five-month curfew on Rodger from 7pm to 7am.

Rodger hit national headlines in 1995 when he and two other inmates broke out of the maximum security Parkhurst prison on the Isle of Wight after making a ladder and a gun, as well as a master key capable of unlocking every door in the jail.

The trio spent six nights on the run before being captured following a massive manhunt.