Knife thug attacked stranger who was out with his wife and child
A Paisley thug who repeatedly tried to strike an unknown man with a knife could be facing a jail term.
Marc Green had spent the afternoon boozing with a pal on June 5, 2022, when he chased a male – who he had never met before – with a knife in the town’s Bridge Street.
The man had been going about his daily business with his family on a Sunday afternoon when he encountered Green of Camphill Court.
The victim had been at Morrisons in the town with his wife and nine-year-old daughter and were walking home when they encountered the boozed-up 28-year-old.
Procurator fiscal depute Flora Napier told Paisley Sheriff Court that, at the time of the horrifying ordeal, Paisley town centre was busy with pedestrians and vehicles due to it being a sunny day.
Ms Napier also explained CCTV captured the incident which shows Green chasing the man with a knife in his right hand.
Green admitted to assaulting the male by repeatedly attempting to strike him with a knife and by pursuing him.
The prosecutor told Paisley Sheriff Court: “At about 1.30pm on Sunday, June 5, 2022, the couple were with their nine-yearold daughter and left Morrisons supermarket on foot towards Bridge Street.
“Around 1.15pm, the accused and a friend were walking onto Bridge Street having spent the early afternoon consuming alcohol.
“While on a footpath near to Bridge Street, the accused approached the male with a knife in his right hand and began stabbing towards him – making no contact.
“This was unprovoked and the male had never met the accused before.
“The male kicked the accused and ran away with his wife and child.
“A passer-by saw this incident and contacted police giving a description of the accused.
“Public space CCTV operators were made aware of the incident by police control room and confirmed they had CCTV showing the accused chasing the male and his wife while holding a knife.
“Police officers attended and traced the accused.
“He was placed in a marked police cell van and taken to Greenock police station.
“The accused was not formally cautioned and charged for the assault as this crime was not confirmed until after the accused was arrested and taken to a custody suite.”
Green also faced a charge which alleged he attempted to “defeat the ends of justice” by throwing a knife into a wooded area and a separate charge alleged he was in possession of diamorphine, a Class A drug, on the same day, at the same place.
But his not guilty pleas were accepted by the Crown.
Defence agent David Nicholson asked for reports to be prepared stating: “This is a young man with historical mental health difficulties that have previously been expressed in a psychiatric report.”
Sheriff Smith deferred sentence for the preparation of a criminal justice social work report and a restriction of liberty order assessment until April 25. Green had his bail order continued meantime.
He began stabbing towards him... the male kicked the accused and ran away with his wife and child