A BLADE offender caught with a machete up his sleeve on a Greenock street has been spared jail after a sheriff declared him 'completely and utterly stupid' and not a 'young thug'. 

David Dunlop was reported to police after a concerned member of the public spotted him brandishing the weapon, the sheriff court was told.

Dunlop, 22 - who was also charged with unlawful possession of a knife - had armed himself with the machete for his own protection, the court heard.

Instead of sending him to custody, Sheriff David Pender chose to impose a community payback order after hearing of his 'difficult upbringing'. 

Defence lawyer Aidan Gallagher told a sentencing hearing: "He was somewhat of a focus of others and possession of the article was a deterrent.

"It is a serious matter.

"This is approaching the custody threshold but prison is something he wishes to avoid in all circumstances."

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Narrating the facts of the case, procurator fiscal depute Fergus Warner said: "On May 20, 2023, at around 3pm, a witness observed a male wearing a blue hoodie and a baseball cap in the street brandishing what looked like a machete.

"He seemed to be walking towards Dunlop Street and police were contacted.

"Approximately eight minutes later, the accused was traced and detained for a search.

"During the search police recovered what is described as a large serrated machete within his left sleeve.

"He was cautioned and charged at the police office and made no reply."

Dunlop was convicted on the machete charge but cleared of another allegation of being in possession of a lock-back knife on the same date and at the same location.

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Urging the sheriff to take account of his client's youth and relative lack of criminal record, one previous conviction from when he was a teenager, solicitor Mr Gallagher said Dunlop has had 'a difficult upbringing', and has struggled with alcohol and drug misuse.

Sheriff Pender told Dunlop: "It is my view that section 49 [of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995] is designed to prevent young thugs, and particularly young thugs, from carrying and using knives in the community.

"I get the impression from the [criminal justice social work] report and from your body language that you do not fall into that category.

"You were just completely and utterly stupid."

Dunlop, of Maple Road, was placed on a supervision order for 18 months which includes a requirement to complete 300 hours of unpaid work as an alternative to a custodial sentence.

He will also be subject to an 8pm-7am curfew each night for four months.

A progress review hearing has been scheduled for March 26.