Man avoids jail after knife crime

A YOUNG man who armed himself with a knife after a group of friends refused to leave his flat has been ordered to carry out unpaid work.

Derek Williamson, of Glenavon Road in Maryhill, was caught with the blade on February 18 this year.

The 23-year-old appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Thursday after previously pleading guilty to having a knife in public.

The court heard: “The accused had several persons within his home address at 4am.

“Police were called due to a disturbance within the common close on the 16th floor.

“Officers attended and the accused was standing outside the flat with both hands behind his back.

“Police saw him drop a black-handled knife with a 20cm blade from behind his back on to the floor between his legs. He was arrested. The accused said he had friends over at his house and they were refusing to leave when requested to do so. He added that he became involved in an argument with them, and this is why he armed himself with a knife.”

Sheriff Patricia Pryce told Williamson: “There are no previous convictions but this shows very poor decision making. Why did you not just call the police?

“This is a very serious matter which regularly attracts a prison sentence, however, I’ll deal with this with a community payback order.”

Williamson was ordered to be in supervision for 12 months and carry out 100 hours of unpaid work within the community.