A MEAT cleaver wielding man who appeared intent on having a blade fight with a woman in Port Glasgow has been jailed.

Michael Joyce confronted the knife-carrying female within communal grounds at Stanton Square in what was the second set-to between the pair in a matter of weeks.

Greenock Sheriff Court heard how the incident was filmed by someone using a mobile phone and that Joyce, 31, had to be held back from the woman.

The thug — who has a number of previous convictions — pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening manner by shouting, swearing and acting aggressively whilst in possession of the cleaver.

He committed the offence on April 1. 

Asked by Sheriff James Spy where his client obtained the weapon, defence solicitor Gerry Keenan said: “He had it in his house.

“There was an almost identical incident which had taken place at his house three weeks before."

A fiscal depute told the court that Joyce was observed in an altercation with a woman, who was also in possession of a blade, and that the incident was filmed.

Greenock Telegraph: Greenock Sheriff Court

The prosecutor explained that the footage showed Joyce lifting the meat cleaver above his head and being restrained by an unknown person while he made ‘continued efforts to approach the woman'.

Police carried out enquiries into the incident before Joyce was traced, cautioned and charged on April 5.

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Solicitor Mr Keenan said: “He was fearful that there might be a repetition of what had occurred three weeks before.

“I think while I recognise the matter is serious, the context in which it occurred somewhat dilutes the seriousness of it.”

Mr Keenan asked the sheriff to consider an alternative to custody by way of a drug treatment and testing order (DTTO).

Sheriff Spy told Joyce: “I’m not persuaded that a DTTO would be an appropriate disposal.

“You simply cannot be armed with a meat cleaver. It will be a custodial disposal today.”

Joyce was sentenced to 12 months in prison, backdated to when he was first remanded in April.

He was also handed a 60-day sentence, to be served concurrently, for a separate matter in which he stole a quantity of alcohol from Iceland Food Warehouse in Port Glasgow's Gallagher Retail Park on April 16, 2021.