Get the stories that matter to you sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter. Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A yob was snared by cops after waving a massive machete in a Paisley street.

Liam Kelly, 22, was spotted with the 16-inch bladed chopper in Dundonald Road, Gallowhill, by concerned householders, who reported him to police.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard Kelly then tried to evade arrest by ditching the machete into the front garden of a property, prompting a frantic police search to find it.

Procurator Fiscal Depute Keri Marshall told the court: “At around 10pm on the day in question police witnesses had been instructed to attend Dundonald Road in relation to an ongoing incident.

“On attending, police officers saw the accused in possession of a wooden-handled machete with a one-foot blade.

“The accused was seen running in Dundonald Road. Officers traced the accused at a driveway at a property in the street.

“The accused told officers he was looking for his friend.

“They noted he was no longer in possession of the machete, however, he appeared nervous and agitated.

“Other police officers arrived and conducted a search of a neighbouring garden where the wooden handled machete was recovered.

“The blade measured 40 centimetres (15.8 inches) and the wooden handle measured 15 centimetres (6 inches).

“The weapon is too large to photocopy for it be shown at court.”

The fiscal said witnesses confirmed the item found in the garden was the same one as Kelly had been seen with in the street.

He was arrested, cautioned and charged, but made no reply following the incident which took place on December 20 last

year.

The fiscal told how Kelly also broke conditions of bail after he had been released on special conditions imposed by the court.

Police visited his home address on April 18 to carry out checks that he was adhering to the curfew, when he was found not be at the property.

Kelly appeared from custody and pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of bladed item, namely a machete, in a public place without reasonable excuse or lawful authority.

He also admitted breaching his bail conditions.

Defence agent Gemma Elder asked the court to defer sentence on Kelly because he is due to appear before another sheriff following an earlier offence.

The lawyer added that background reports had been called for in relation to that case, which may benefit the court’s handling of his latest offence.

Sheriff James Spy said: “Possession of a knife is a serious offence and you have been remanded on this indictment.

“You were given bail and then abused that privilege.”

He remanded Kelly in custody until September 20 when he will discover his fate.