A would-be thief who ended up in a fight with a Shotts householder has been jailed for nearly two years.
Aidan McFarlane was disturbed trying to steal a quad bike and when police caught up with him he was found to be in possession of a knife.
McFarlane, 24, a prisoner, appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court this week.
He admitted trying to steal the quad bike from a garden in Garry Way, Shotts, on March 24 and illegal possession of a blade in the town’s Dyfrig Street that day.
An allegation that he stabbed George Keir on the arm to his severe injury was dropped.
Paula Russell, prosecuting, said there was an “altercation” between the householder and McFarlane after the attempted theft.
When police officers traced McFarlane they saw he had cuts. He claimed he sustained them in a fall.
Defence agent Vincent McGovern said his client was aware that a number of quad bikes were kept tied together in the garden.
He had a knife with him so he could free one of them.
Mr McGovern added: “The householder and a relative tracked him down. They were suitably armed and tried to effect a citizen’s arrest.
“The injuries sustained by my client were more severe than those of the complainer.”
Sheriff Ray Small said McFarlane had a “bad” record for carrying knives and on three recent occasions had used violence while armed.
The sheriff told him: “On this occasion there is no suggestion the knife was being used for a violent purpose, but possession of a knife in a public place is still a serious offence.”
McFarlane was jailed for 23 months, backdated to March 25 as he has been in custody since then.
