Published: Tuesday, 27th November, 2007 10:00
DEATH THREAT THUG IS JAILED
By Court Reporter
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BOTTLE: McCurley
A LOUT ‘brandished’ a beer bottle outside Dumbarton District Court after he was allegedly threatened with a knife, a court heard.
Derek McCurley threatened to ‘kill’ the person during the heated incident but was stopped in his tracks by a cop appearing at the building as a witness.
The officer had heard shouting and swearing coming from the building’s entrance in Station Road, just minutes after business started for the day at 10.10am.
When he got to the entrance McCurley was seen, watched by a large group, with the beer bottle which he had picked up off the ground, Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard.
Fiscal depute, Gillian Climie, said McCurley, who was “brandishing” the bottle was told to drop the item because his actions were alarming members of the public.
She said: “[McCurley] was taken into the court building and interviewed under caution and conceded that he had the bottle in his hands.
“He was asked why he had this bottle to which he replied: ‘Jabba pulled a knife out on me, I’m not having that.’”
His lawyer Kenny Clark told the court that McCurley admitted possessing the bottle on October 26 this year.
Mr Clark said it remained his client’s position that another person had threatened him with a knife and McCurley told officers this at the time of the offence.
He said: “He was at court for legitimate reasons and does not know why this individual was there.
“He approached Mr McCurley with a knife and Mr McCurley picked up the beer bottle that was lying on the ground.
“He appreciates he shouldn’t have acted in that manner and should have taken refuge in the building.”
Mr Clark added that McCurley was working up until the offence but after being remanded in custody and subsequently failing to appear at work he has since lost that job.
He said that McCurley has been “working hard” to curb his anti-social conduct and has recently made contact with Alternatives to help deal with his problems.
Mr Clark called for a probation order to help McCurley.
However, Sheriff Simon Pender told the accused he had an “extremely bad record” which included convictions for possession of knives and assault with a weapon.
He said: “It’s important that it gets out that those who carry offensive weapons will be dealt with severely.”
McCurley of 6C Westcliffe, Dumbarton, was jailed for four-and-a-half months.
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