AN ALEXANDRIA man has denied accusations that he put people's lives at risk by leaving the gas on at his flat in the town.

It was claimed that Alan Shaw, 55, had put his neighbours in danger by turning on the gas supply to the cooker at his James Street home and failing to switch it off.

Prosecutors alleged that Shaw had allowed gas to build up inside his property and to leak out into the common close on October 11 last year, causing a risk of explosion.

But the Crown accepted his plea of not guilty to a charge of culpable and reckless conduct.

Shaw appeared at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on Friday for sentencing on a further charge of threatening or abusive behaviour, relating to last October's incident.

He threw items to the ground at the common close outside his flat, struggled with police, threatened them with violence and told them he would kill himself.

His disorderly behaviour continued as he was being taken to the police station in Clydebank to be processed.

Shaw also admitted a further charge of breaching a bail condition by being present at the same James Street property on December 17 last year.

He had been released on bail the day after the October incident with a special condition barring him from going to the property.

Shaw is currently the subject of a drug treatment and testing order (DTTO) imposed as a punishment for a separate offence, and Sheriff William Gallacher deferred sentence on the latest matter to call alongside Shaw’s next DTTO review, due to take place at the end of August.

Sheriff Gallacher said: “This matter hasn’t been brought to an end. It may be that a significant penalty will follow if you are not complying."