A MAN who was caught with a knife in a Dumbarton street has been handed a prison sentence after he admitted a catalogue of offences – which also included dangerous driving, drug possession and breaching a court-imposed curfew.

Joseph Merry was found with the lockback blade in Ashton View on January 26 last year.

Merry, 25, appeared at the town's sheriff court on Friday for sentencing on six separate offences stretched over a 12-month spell.

In addition to the knife case, Merry, who was listed in court papers as a resident of Montreal House in Mountblow, admitted breaching a bail order – imposed after he appeared in court on the knife charge – as well as driving a motorbike dangerously, while disqualified and without insurance in various Clydebank streets on June 6, and being in possession of cannabis in Glasgow Road in Clydebank on January 8 this year.

Merry's solicitor, Graeme Brown, said his client had been remanded in custody since the day of the cannabis discovery, and told the court Merry hoped to make a fresh start with a move to the Drumchapel area.

Mr Brown told Friday's hearing: "He accepts that dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and being in possession of a knife are particularly serious offences.

"On the road traffic matters, he says he has never had a licence – not even a provisional licence."

Merry committed the bail breach by being outwith his bail address during the hours of a 7pm-7am curfew on February 21 last year.

Sheriff William Gallacher imposed a two-month jail term for the cannabis charge – reduced from three because of Merry's guilty plea, and backdated to January 8.

On the knife possession and bail breach offences, Merry was placed on a community payback order with 18 months of social work supervision, with a conduct requirement which states that he must attend counselling and/or treatment for addiction issues.

He was also told to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work within six months.

On the motoring charges, sentence was deferred for good behaviour until April 7.

Merry's community payback order will be reviewed on the same date.