A MAN has been jailed for demanding money from a woman and slashing car tyres in Helensburgh.

William McFall pleaded guilty at Dumbarton Sheriff Court last week to the incident on August 15 in Logie Place.

The 41-year-old, listed as a prisoner of Greenock, admitted possession of a knife, slashing tyres and shouting, swearing and uttering threats of violence.

Fiscal depute Kevin Doherty told the court the woman in the property heard knocking and then McFall saying: "Gie me some money."

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She told McFall she didn't have any, to which he replied: "I'm going to slash your car unless you give me money. You always have money."

McFall was holding a vegetable knife and tried to get through an open window but a chest of drawers was blocking it from opening fully.

The woman ran to get her husband, warning him McFall had a knife, and he saw his father's car had two flat tyres.

The husband said to McFall: "You stabbed my f***ing dad's tyres."

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McFall replied: "Who are you f***ing talking to? You will f***ing get it if you call the police. Just give me some money - if you don't, I will slash the rest of the tyres."

He shouting through the letter box that was was going to stab them and demanded they "come out you sh**bag".

Police arrived about 11.30am and eventually found McFall. The woman in the property was visibly upset, heard the court.

Mr Doherty then narrated details provided by McFall's defence, which he admitted he was surprised by. He said the circumstances were that the two individuals owed money to McFall and he was having difficulty with drug misuse. McFall went to a friend's home nearby and got the knife.

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Defence solicitor Stephen McGuire said his client recognised custody was "more or less" inevitable.

He said: "He has known the female complainer for some time. He was struggling with drug misuse. In early August that escalated. He was needing money to secure drugs.

"He is on detoxification in custody. His behaviour that day was inexcusable and he recognises that."

Sheriff William Gallacher said McFall's record was significant and "your threats to other people are utterly dreadful".

McFall was jailed for a total of 30 months backdated to August 30.

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