Men who threatened to stab child are caged

May 14 2008 By our court reporter

TWO Lanarkshire men who threatened to stab a child have been jailed.

Robert Mitchell (18), of Manus Duddy Court, Blantyre, and Alan King (21), of Almada Tower, Hamilton, assaulted a woman on March 22 this year at a Blantyre address.

They brandished a knife at her and threatened to stab her child before stealing a set of car keys.

King further admitted assaulting the same woman by throwing a bottle at her and committing a breach of the peace by shouting and swearing. He had committed all the offences while on bail.

On the same day, Mitchell drove a car dangerously through a number of roads in Hamilton and Blantyre, including Main Street in High Blantyre.

He failed to stop at a red light before he drove in an erratic manner across both carriageways of the road. He failed to stop for police officers who were driving in a marked police vehicle with lights flashing and sirens blaring.

Mitchell also admitted driving without a licence or insurance.

At Hamilton Sheriff Court on Tuesday, Sheriff Shiona Waldron jailed Mitchell for 10 months on all the charges. He has also been disqualified from driving for three years and has been ordered to sit an extended driving test after the ban.

Sheriff Waldron jailed King for 14 months.

Two months of this sentence were imposed for committing the offences while on bail.