Duo caged after violent weapons episode at party
Two men have started lengthy jail terms after they returned to a Hogmanay party armed with weapons.
Les Strang and James McCutcheon are behind bars following the violent incident in the early hours of January 1.
The pair appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court for sentencing after they pleaded guilty to separate charges against them in relation to the incident.
Thirty- year- old Strang admitted assaulting Sean Kerrigan by striking him with a hammer.
For his part McCutcheon, 29, pleaded guilty to brandishing a knife at Ryan Wilson.
Previously the court heard both men had been at a party at a house in Watson Street, Motherwell, but had left the property.
They then returned a short time later but both were refused entry.
McCutcheon insisted that he wanted to have a discussion about what had taken place earlier in the evening.
Ultimately both men made their way into the house and went to the kitchen.
Both Mr Kerrigan and Mr Wilson were there. There was then shouting and arguing between the parties.
Strang and McCutcheon produced the weapons they had with McCutcheon brandishing the knife at Mr Wilson and shouting “you know what you have done” repeatedly.
During the course of the argument, Strang also struck Mr Kerrigan on the head with the hammer.
The police had been called even before the pair had entered the property and arrived a short time later.
Those in the house identified Strang and McCutcheon as those responsible with officers also recovering the black and yellow hammer and black and blue knife, which had been used during the incident.
Strang’s solicitor Elspeth Forrest told the court her client and McCutcheon had been in the house earlier that night drinking.
McCutcheon’s defence agent, Diarmid Bruce, added that both his client and Mr Wilson were in fact friends and had been out together the night before.
At the sentencing hearing, Strang was jailed for 20 months for his part in the incident.
McCutcheon was sentenced to 15 months behind bars. This was discounted from 20 months on account of his earlier guilty plea.