A Forfar teenager who brandished a knife in an apparent fight over his girlfriend has been spared a custodial sentence.
The town’s sheriff court heard how 17-year-old James Ferguson wielded an illegal lock-knife before being disarmed.
Depute fiscal Hannah Kennedy said: ”The accused and others were in the house, as were the accused’s girlfriend and the complainer at one point.
”All parties were apparently watching TV. That is, until the accused took umbrage to the complainer talking to his girlfriend.”
A disagreement took place and shouting and swearing ensued.
Ferguson challenged the complainer in the living room, and produced a black-handled knife from his grouse-beating jacket.
Its blade was presented to the victim, who was standing face to face and a foot and a half away.
The accused implied ”something might happen”, before the complainer grabbed bother wrists, and the pair wrestled before the complainer got control of the knife and it was thrown over into the corner of the room.
Ferguson got up and placed the knife on top of the television.
The court heard that no alcohol had been involved in the offence on June 8.
After the scuffle, all the other parties in the house started to leave, and a group flagged down a passing police car at 7.10pm.
They had taken the knife from the house and handed it over.
The police detained Ferguson, who said: ”I didn’t mean for that to happen. He just mistreated my girlfriend verbally.
”I just held it then threw it down … It was a really stupid thing to do.”
Ms Kennedy said it emerged the complainer had left after the disagreement but returned to pick up motorbike keys he had left behind.
Ferguson’s defence agent Bob Bruce said: ”You will see that my client is a genuine first offender, and he intended only to produce the knife to scare the complainer, who had approached his girlfriend inappropriately.
”My client understands the severity of the offence but I believe it would suit this young man to have a bit of structure.”
Sheriff Kevin Veal said: ”But for the absence of a criminal record, you would receive a custodial sentence for this. If there are any similar problems in the future, he will face the music most rapidly.”
Ferguson was placed on a high tariff structured deferred sentence with bail conditions, and a review date was set for November 29.
Sheriff Veal added: ”This does not mean this matter has concluded. With any more trouble, he may find himself in custody over the festive period.”