Skate park teen threatened with knife after plea to tidy up glass

A youth was threatened with a knife when he challenged a gang over smashed bottles at a skate park in Dunfermline.

The accused, Michael Sanderson, 24, also had a knuckleduster during the confrontation. The incident on October 18 was not the first time Sanderson was caught with an offensive weapon, having been caught on CCTV with a cricket bat in Dunfermline town centre a few months earlier.

At Dunfermline Sheriff Court Sanderson, of Chapel Street, Lochgelly, admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, challenging a 17-yearold boy to a fight and producing a knife, and possessing a knuckleduster at St Margaret’s Drive.

He also admitted possessing an offensive weapon and cannabis resin on Queen Anne Street on March 10.

The teenage victim and three friends became aware of bottles being smashed at the skate park at 9.20pm. He asked a group of males and females to tidy up the mess. An argument started and angry Sanderson followed the youth when he walked away.

Depute fiscal Azrah Yousaf said: “He approached the complainer shouting at him. When the complainer declined to shake hands with him he became even more angry.

“He took a knife with a three to four-inch blade from his jacket pocket and continued to shout.”

Armed with the knife, he challenged the youth to a fight but was led away by his group.

The court heard Sanderson was already on a community payback order.

Sheriff Robert Weir deferred sentence until November 22 and allowed bail but placed Sanderson on a curfew and told him to stay out of Dunfermline.