A Raploch man who caused a disturbance at a city charity shop as well as the street outside was this week jailed for a year and six months.
Peter McGowan, of Mossgiel Avenue, had pleaded guilty to charges of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner at Shelter in Barnton Street on August 13 last year as well as carrying a lock knife without reasonable excuse. The offences occurred while 34-year-old McGowan was on bail on another matter.
Fiscal depute Amy Sneddon told Stirling Sheriff Court on Wednesday that a witness had been working in the store when McGowan entered the shop about 3pm.
McGowan’s behaviour was described as “a general nuisance” and he was asked to leave by the shop worker.
She had noticed that McGowan had a yellow lock knife which he used to puncture a hole in the top of a glass storage box which he had just bought.
After leaving the premises the accused went to a bin outside where he found two hockey sticks.
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The shop assistant and a colleague then saw McGowan waving the sticks aggressively at people who were walking past in the street.
Police were contacted. When officers arrived McGowan was still outside the shop and he was detained and searched.
A yellow lock knife was found in his right trouser pocket attached to a key.
The knife’s blade was 5cm in length.
He was then cautioned and charged, but made no reply.
McGowan’s agent Ken Dalling told Sheriff Derek Hamilton that the accused was trying to take steps to address difficulties in his life. He described McGowan as “sober” and engaging with the Community Alcohol and Drugs Service (CADS).
But Sheriff Derek Hamilton noted that McGowan had three similar previous convictions: one involving a knife, another an unspecified offensive weapon, and a third involving a weapon or a knife.
He told McGowan that severe penalties were imposed for carrying knives in public, adding “that’s the position with you”.
Sheriff Hamilton sentenced McGowan to 18 months’ imprisonment.
