Row over £2 sees man grab kitchen knife

A man armed himself with a knife after a row over £2 turned violent.

Joseph Harper flew into a rage and grabbed a blade from a kitchen drawer when Les Strang punched him.

Hamilton Sheriff Court heard on Friday that Mr Strang fled and Harper ended up in hospital for treatment before police detained him.

Harper, 38, was jailed for a year when he admitted having an offensive weapon outside his home in Watson Street, Motherwell, on May 25. He also admitted possession of heroin. Jennifer Mclaren, prosecuting, said Mr Strang went to Harper’s home about 6.30pm and asked to borrow £2.

Harper said he didn’t have any money and a “minor disagreement” took place.

Ms Mclaren told the court: “The witness Strang punched the accused on the face, causing him to fall. He suffered a cut to his eyebrow.

“The accused then went into his home, grabbed a knife from the cutlery drawer and went out.

“A neighbour saw him in possession of the knife and contacted the police.

“Officers found Harper topless and covered in blood. He was taken to hospital and required two stitches.

“He was then taken to the police station and a bag containing heroin worth about £25 fell from his boxer shorts.”

A defence agent said there had been a “degree of provocation” as Harper would never have gone for a knife had Mr Strang not punched him.

The solicitor added: “Mr Strang, a man my client knows, was full of either drugs or drink when he arrived at his door.

“The accused had taken valium and heroin.

“His recollection is fuzzy, but he recalls taking the knife and chasing Mr Strang who ran to a neighbour ’ s house and subsequently jumped from a window before running away.”

The solicitor said Mr Strang was charged with assaulting Harper, but the outcome of that case was unknown.

Most of Harper ’ s record involves crimes of dishonesty, but Sheriff Thomas Millar noted he has a previous conviction for carrying a blade.

The sheriff told him: “Perhaps it’s fortuitous that Mr Strang is a faster runner than you.

“You did not react to the provocation i mmediately, but armed yourself. “There was some degree of revenge here.”

The 12- month sentence was backdated to May 28 as Harper has been in custody since then.