PLAIN clothes police officers detained a man who sprayed a wall with the slogan "Irish c***s" in a late night act of vandalism.

And when they apprehended him, the officers later traced a bag belonging to the accused which contained an axe.

John Ferguson, 58, of Halkett Crescent, Alexandria, appeared at Dumbarton Sheriff Court last Tuesday

He admitted maliciously spraying a wall at the canal bank near to India Street, Alexandria, on May 7 2015.

Ferguson also admitted assaulting a police officer by punching him on the body, behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, struggling violently with police officers, lashing out with his arms and legs and being in possession of a blade, which was sharply pointed, namely an axe, on the same day.

He further admitted maliciously spraying a wall at the canal bank near to India Street, Alexandria, on March 11 2014.

Fiscal depute Isobel Martin outlined the circumstances of the 2015 offences.

She said: "It was 3am and officers in plain clothes near to a path saw the accused walking along.

"He approached a wall and began spraying something on the wall.

"They stopped him and a slogan had been sprayed on the wall- Irish c***s.

"When they were dealing with him he said he brought a bike with him but left it out of sight, along the river path along with his bag, a short distance along.

"They (police officers) could see it and some items seized within the bag included an axe, with a wooden handle."

Ms Martin told the court that the accused was "not fit" for interview due to his mental state at that time.

Ferguson's defence agent told the court that the accused's sister attended every interview with him in the lead up to the case going to court and she had been of "considerable assistance."

The court was also told that Ferguson's sister was concerned about her brother's mental state as he had been diagnosed with anxiety and depression for "some time."

Ferguson's defence solicitor told the court how his client's actions, at that time of the morning were "bizarre" and that he had tried to get some "logical explanation" to the offence but could not get one, adding "It's no easy task."

The court was also told that within the bag which containing the axe, Ferguson had 22 glass bottles and the defence solicitor was trying to "ascertain what he was thinking."

The solicitor said: "He says it was for recycling but not at that time of the morning.

"I also understand that he would regularly go to the woods and chop wood."

Ferguson's fixation with chopping wood and taking it home came so severe that it was considered a fire hazard.

His defence agent said: "Once this came to light for the social work and local authority there was so much firewood that it was deemed a fire hazard.

"As a result there were a number of vans required to come and take it away.

"It was a habit of his to go into the wood and chop some wood."

It was revealed in court that Ferguson was currently undertaking a de-tox programme and that he'd quit drinking too.

It was also revealed that the accused had been assigned a social worker who was in the process of arranging an appointment for Ferguson

with a Psychiatrist.

Sheriff Simon Pender deferred sentence on Ferguson until Tuesday, November 1 so that a psychiatric report can be obtained and for an update on a Community Payback Order progress report.

Ferguson's bail was continued.