A DUMBARTON man who carried a machete in public – the sixth time he had been convicted of carrying a weapon – has been jailed for a total of 35 months.

William McKell, 39, whose address was given as a prisoner of Low Moss Prison, Bishopbriggs, committed a series of offences at Murroch Avenue, Dumbarton, on March 21, this year.

He appeared at Dumbarton Sheriff Court last Wednesday where the court was told McKell had been in possession of a machete.

He then behaved in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear or alarm by repeatedly shouting and swearing and making threats of violence towards a mother and son.

Prosecutor Claire Nicholls told the court that McKell maliciously struck a glass panel of another house in Murroch Avenue, using a machete, causing damage to the panel.

Defence lawyer Kenny Clark said: “He knows full well that a custodial sentence is inevitable as well as a supervised release order. He has been in custody since April 30.

“Both people were known to him. [The male victim] was buying the machete from McKell, but money had not yet been exchanged. He went to see [the complainer] to demand the money. He was substantially under the influence of alcohol.

“A culmination of him being drunk and with a machete was caught on CCTV. He fully recognises custody is merited.

“There has been some reduction in his behaviour in recent years and has become a little wiser. Clearly he has a bad record. He has five previous convictions involving a weapon since 1998.”

Sheriff William Gallacher told McKell: “Parliament dictates that knife crime and the carrying of such weapons can carry sentences of up to five years. In your case this is your sixth conviction for such an offence. 

“You have shown total disrespect for the court. I would fail in my public duty if I was not to jail you and for a significant period at that.”

McKell was jailed for 30 months for carrying a machete in public and to a further five months for acting in a threatening or abusive manner, the sentences to run consecutively. 

He was also put on a supervised release order for 12 months.