A thug has been jailed for two years for carrying out an attack in Wishaw town centre in broad daylight.
Paul O’Neill will be supervised for 12 months when he is released from prison.
He grabbed an 18-year-old man from behind and pressed what the victim believed was a knife against his neck.
The weapon turned out to be a pen and the victim avoided serious injury, but Hamilton Sheriff Court heard this week the incident has had a “significant psychological effect” on him.
O’Neill, 37, admitted carrying out the attack in Hill Street on April 20.
Vish Kathuria, prosecuting, said it happened around 6pm on a Saturday when the area was busy.
The youth was using a cash machine when O’Neill tapped him on the shoulder and asked for a cigarette.
He said he had none spare but gave him the cigarette he was smoking.
O’Neill was friendly at this time and suggested the youth could buy cheap cigarettes from a shop nearby.
He declined but remained in the area and met up with his girlfriend.
Mr Kathuria told the court: “A few minutes later the accused again asked if he had cigarettes for him, but the youth said all he had was a bottle of juice.
“The next he knew he was grabbed from behind and he felt a metal object pressed into his neck.
“He was extremely scared, thinking it was a knife and he would be robbed.
“The accused was telling him not to be a wide-o and demanding a cigarette.
“The victim managed to pull O’Neill’s hand away, but then O’Neill was right in his face, shouting at him.
“His girlfriend was screaming for the accused to get off and the youth told him not to be stupid as there was a camera in the street.
“O’Neill responded ‘I’ll stick this in your neck and you’ll be the stupid one’.
“Eventually O’Neill walked away and the couple contacted the police.
“The youth had a small cut to the side of his face and an ink mark which was consistent with a pen being used.”
Mr Kathuria added: “The complainer is now in constant fear and when he sees a man in a hoodie will avoid being on the same side of the street.
“This incident is having a significant psychological effect on him.”
Defence agent Vincent McGovern said O’Neill has a serious heroin addiction and needs help to “break the cycle of offending”.
