A “coward” armed with two blades who terrorised staff and customers at a Dundee waterfront restaurant during a cannabis binge has been jailed.
Luke Mackie was high on cannabis when he wandered around Taza on City Quay while in possession of a knife and meat cleaver.
A sheriff lambasted the 24-year-old for his conduct and believed he had the propensity to kill someone.
Mackie – a once-promising footballer – has previous convictions for violence including a knife incident against his former partner for which he was locked up.
Buffet terror
It was previously revealed how 10 customers were dining in the Indian buffet at around 2pm on October 10 last year.
Mackie entered with a friend and staff were immediately hit by the smell of the Class B drug.
Fiscal depute Joanne Ritchie told Dundee Sheriff Court they were seated but became “boisterous and erratic manner and… a cause for concern”.
Mackie was refused alcohol and could be heard saying “my head is f****d” before he began wandering around the restaurant with his hands down his trousers.
Ms Ritchie said: “As he walked back, the manager saw him lift his jacket and revealed what looked like the handle of a knife.”
Mackie went towards kitchen and the second blade was spotted.
Police were contacted after frightened customers made for the exit.
The knife had a 17cm blade and the stainless steel cleaver’s was 2cm longer.
Promising footballer
Perth prisoner Mackie pled guilty to possessing the weapons.
He had been part of the Dundee FC performance school based at St John’s High School before becoming embroiled in drugs at 18.
Solicitor advocate Jane Caird asked for a community payback order to be imposed in order to address Mackie’s drug use.
She said: “He is clean and sober whilst in custody; however, when he’s released that’s really when it may again become a problem for him.
“He is very aware this is a serious matter given his previous convictions and given the offence itself.
“He is someone who has had a very good upbringing and was doing well until around 18.
“He was released from a professional footballing contract, falling in with the wrong crowd and starts taking drugs and that’s when his offending starts.”
‘Coward’
Sheriff Tim Niven-Smith said: “Having attended university here many, many years ago, the city has changed from the 80s and 90s to the position it’s in now.
“But unfortunately, there’s still an underbelly such as people such as yourself behaving in this way.
“Members of the public were sitting in that restaurant when you and your pal were stinking of cannabis attended and were, frankly, frightened by your conduct.
“In the circumstances… I view custody as being inevitable.”
The sheriff added: “You are clearly someone who has the propensity to use violence and weapons – the mark of a coward, in fact.
“You probably have the propensity to take life given your convictions and the behaviour on this day.”
Mackie was jailed for 16 months and made subject to an eight-month supervised release order.
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