A BONHILL man will appear in court next week to be sentenced for a series of offences including theft and threatening or abusive behaviour.

Anthony Connelly’s solicitor told a hearing last week a place at rehab centre Turnaround will be available to his client on January 16 but will only be put aside for him for a day.

On hearing that, the presiding sheriff agreed to consider three cases against Connelly on that date — but he remanded Connelly in custody until then after telling his solicitor he had little faith in his desire to stay out of trouble.

Connelly, 36, appeared in the dock on January 5 for sentencing on charges of stealing clothes from Peacock Stores in the Artizan Centre in Dumbarton on November 19, and shouting, swearing and uttering offensive remarks at the Ladyton hostel in Alexandria on Christmas Day.

And when he appeared before Sheriff Maxwell Hendry on Thursday, Connelly’s solicitor, Roddy Boag, said his client was now pleading guilty to a third offence of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by attending uninvited a house in Cumbrae Crescent South on November 8, acting aggressively and repeatedly kicking a door.

Mr Boag said: “It’s asking a lot of the court, because of its duties to the public at large, to consider a non-custodial disposal.

“He has stayed off the drink for periods of time before, but his problem is that he tends to relapse. He would now be determined to stay off the drink.

“He was 50th on the list for a place in Turnaround; now he’s eighth. His face lit up this morning when I told him he was eighth on the Turnaround waiting list.

“I’ve told him this is effectively a once-in-a-lifetime chance.”

But Sheriff Hendry pointed out that Connelly, of Braehead in Bonhill, had been granted bail on October 28, but offended again on November 8.

The sheriff also noted Connelly had been given bail on November 9, but got into trouble again 10 days later; and that he had lasted only six days between being given bail on December 19 and his most recent offence.

“I’m certain he has convinced himself he can stay out of trouble,” the sheriff said. “But the probability is if he is released today, he will start drinking and offend again.”