Knife thug faces his third jail term for carrying blade
his trousers.
“The knife is described as a brown handled kitchen knife with a three inch blade.
“The accused was cautioned and charged but made no reply.”
McConnell pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing a knife without reasonable excuse or lawful authority in Paisley on October 27.
Defence agent James Arrol said jobless McConnell, formerly of the town’s Ferguslie Walk, but currently in prison, had no idea why he went out armed on the streets of Paisley.
He said: “When he is at liberty he is in receipt of Employment Support Allowance because he suffers from anxiety and depression and takes medication in order to cope.
“He also had been medicating using methadone, previously having had a significant problem with drugs.
“He has two analogous previous convictions, the first of which he received 10 months in jail, and the second for which he received six months.
“These were back in 2012, and since then there has been no analogous offending.
“Regarding the offence, he remembers nothing about it.
“He had been consuming alcohol, and he struggles to handle alcohol, and he does not know why he was at the locus.
“He doesn’t know why he was in possession of the knife.
“He accepts his responsibility by pleading guilty at the earliest opportunity.
“He understands that a sentence of imprisonment will be imposed on him given his record.”
Sheriff Frances McCartney warned the accused: “This matter will be dealt with by a period of imprisonment.”
She remanded the accused in custody to call for reports.
McConnell will discover his fate when he reappears for sentencing on January 7.
Previously he was caged for 10 months for being caught with a blade at East End Park and High Street in the town, as well as spitting on one police officer after he was arrested and making racially offensive remarks to another.
The Met Office has raised its weather warning from yellow to amber this weekend in Renfrewshire.
Freezing rain is expected to result in the rapid development of widespread ice, with very dangerous travelling conditions likely between 10am today to 6am on Sunday.
The weather forecaster says freezing will result
in the rapid formation of widespread ice on roads, pavements, trees and other structures.
It added:“Freezing rain is rare in the United Kingdom but when it does occur the impacts can be very severe.
“This is due to the fact that it can form very quickly, it can be difficult to see and is incredibly slippery.
“Some sleet and snow is possible over the very highest ground and the freezing rain may also be followed by a spell of sleet and snow as the precipitation clears from the west.
“The freezing rain and sleet and snow will be accompanied by strong southeasterly winds which will pose an additional hazard to travel, in particular over high ground.”