A MAN who twice tried to start a chainsaw in the middle of the street has been ordered to get alcohol counselling and treatment.

John Reid, of Miller Place, Alexandria, previously pleaded guilty to the incident near a property in Manse Drive on February 28 this year.

Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard last week how the 31-year-old was in a Ford Transit van around 12.30am with another man when they stopped in Manse Drive.

The other man got out and Reid reached back and got the chainsaw, which he then took towards a property and tried - unsuccessfully - to start.

He returned it to the van but then took it back out again and stood in the roadway trying to get the chainsaw going.

Reid was also shouting towards the general area, depute fiscal Emma Thomson told the court.

Police arrived and found Reid intoxicated and agitated.

Reid told them: “F*** off, f***ing pr**ks” and “s*ck my d***” as he was put in the police van.

He later pleaded guilty to shouting, swearing, acting in an aggressive manner to police and having a chainsaw in a public place.

Reid’s defence solicitor accepted the incident could have become a “very serious situation”.

Sheriff Maxwell Hendry said a social work report on Reid said the man didn’t see his alcohol consumption as an issue in his life.

Reid’s lawyer said: “There’s behaviour he is responsible for. I think he was concerned it was suggested he was alcohol dependent. He can definitely see a link between overuse or misuse and offending behaviour.”

Sheriff Hendry told Reid he had “some concern this might be misinterpreted by you in that you might think it’s not all that serious”.

He said the public was entitled to expect the courts to take seriously “anyone who thinks that can take a chainsaw, not once but twice” in the middle of the street while intoxicated.

Reid was put on a community payback order for 18 months, with a conduct requirement to undergo alcohol counselling or treatment.

He must do 200 hours of unpaid work in the community within nine months, and must also pay a £180 fine for a failure to appear at a previous hearing.