Hamilton residents’ shock after armed cops section off whole street

Sep 3 2009 by Gary Fanning, Hamilton Advertiser

A MAN has appeared in court after armed police raced to a Hamilton street.

Graeme McVey appeared on petition at Hamilton Sheriff Court last Thursday.

The 31-year-old was charged with a breach of the peace by firing a pistol or similar implement in a house at Backmuir Road last Wednesday.

McVey, of East Kilbride, made no plea or declaration and was given bail pending further police enquiries.

His trial date has yet to be confirmed.

Police launched an immediate response after neighbours reported that a man was in possession of a firearm.

Residents watched in terror as armed response police raced to Backmuir Road, Whitehill, last Friday about 5.30pm.

The police’s armed response team attended the scene along with the officers with tracker dogs.

Neighbours say several armed officers surrounded one of the houses in the street as a police helicopter monitored the scene from above.

The street was closed off at both ends as police dealt with the major incident.

One shocked resident said: “All of a sudden, the street was full of police armed with guns and they were swarming around one of the houses.

“There were about four cars, like army-style jeeps, in the street and a few other police vehicles, as well as the dog-handling branch.

“The incident was a bit frightening and something we are not used to here.

“They shut off the bottom of the street for a few hours and the investigation led down to the timber houses past the roundabout.

“People coming home from work were shocked as many of them couldn’t get back to their homes because the street was shut off.”

A mum, who had young children in her house, said she was terrified by the incident.

“There were armed cops in my back garden pointing a gun at the house,” she said.

“My kids normally play in the back garden and I am glad they weren’t there at the time; it would have been frightening for them.

“I am glad that I wasn’t in the kitchen washing my dishes because I would have jumped out of my skin had I looked out of the window to see armed police in my back garden.

“It’s not the first time there has been trouble in the street.

“About six weeks ago, there was about 40 people out in the street but when the police showed up all they did was stop briefly and had a joke with them.

“Then, later that night, up to 10 cars were set on fire after a massive fight broke out in the street.

“Every Friday and Saturday night there are young people drinking alcohol in the street and creating all sorts of bother.”

A Strathclyde Police spokeswoman told the Advertiser that no firearms had been discharged and that no one was hurt during the incident.

“Police responded to reports in the area that a man was apparently in possession of a firearm,” she said.

“An armed response team attended a house in Backmuir Road and a man was arrested and was held in police custody.”