Man caught with weapon

Found armed with metal bike part

A Perth man armed himself with part of a metal bicycle handlebar, wrapped in duct tape, after he was attacked in his home.

Twenty-one-year-old James McGhie had been warned by police to stay in his house at Walker Court and not to make contact with his assailant.

But later that night he was spotted in Bridgend, near his attacker’s flat, depute fiscal Clare Kennedy told Perth Sheriff Court.

“He could provide no valid reason for being there,” she added.

“”He was very agitated and made reference to ‘getting’ his attacker.”

Because of his demeanour, he was searched and the weapon was found stuffed into the rear of his trouser band.

McGhie, who was told by Sheriff Gillian Wade that he was “standing at the front door of prison,” had a Community Payback Order imposed and will be supervised for the next 12 months.

But she told him: “If you breach the order, there will be no alternative but to send you to prison.”

He admitted having the offensive weapon in Bridgend on July 12, four days after being freed from the Perth court on bail.

Solicitor John McLaughlin said the accused’s attacker - a “friend” - had subsequently been charged with breaking his window and bail conditions had been imposed banning him from contacting McGhie.

“He accepts he needs help in resolving the problems which beset him. He has reduced his alcohol and cannabis use.”

Imposing the order, Sheriff Wade said: “I am very concerned what could have happened if you had used that weapon.”

McGhie’s progress will be reviewed on January 24 and he was ordered to stay out of further trouble until then.

Sentence on number of other charges, including one of threatening to stab a woman, as well as two police officers, in Perth’s Firbank Road, was deferred until the same date.