A 17-year-old who wandered Arbroath’s streets wielding a knife after a New Year Buckfast boozing session with his mother has avoided detention.
The first offender, who is too young to be named publicly, initially appeared from custody at Forfar Sheriff Court after the incident, which began when the pair sat down to celebrate in the early hours of January 2.
He was visiting his mother in Arbroath from the west of Scotland but after downing wine and the tonic brew became increasingly agitated and paranoid.
He left the house and approached a stranger in the street at around 10.30am, shouting incoherently. He then said his daughter had been abducted.
The youth was holding a large kitchen knife and was bleeding from a cut on his hand.
Although no threats were made, a witness was scared by the encounter.
The accused walked away, but was then seen a short time later in the town’s Springfield Park by a woman who said he appeared to be distressed and was saying his sister had been abducted.
Police were contacted and they found him nearby.
The court previously heard the college student had indicated he had drunk two litres of wine and Buckfast in the hours leading up to the incident.
He admitted possessing a knife when he appeared from custody.
Defence solicitor Keith Sim said: “He is a young man who really has potential but has not had the easiest start in life. He has little recollection of the offence.”
The court was told the accused has the possibility of undertaking a football scholarship abroad but that might be “a year or two in the future”.
Sheriff Gregor Murray told the teenager: “You pled guilty at the first opportunity to a serious offence.
“Ordinarily for an offence of this nature you would be sent to custody.
“However, there are a number of things in your favour. You are young, you are a first offender and it is a very helpful report which says you are doing pretty well.”
The sheriff imposed a Community Payback Order of 180 hours unpaid work which must be completed within a year.
