A SERIAL offender who set fire to fence planks near a supermarket in Dumbarton town centre has to wait to find out his fate.

Andrew Hendry, of the town’s Ashton View, pleaded guilty to breaking the wooden planks off a fence at Lidl on Castle Street on December 6, 2021.

He also admitted to recklessly setting fire to the wood, so the fire took effect and destroyed the planks.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident, he assaulted four female shop workers at the Co-operative Keystore in Clydebank on April 19, 2021 by repeatedly spitting on the ground near them.

He also admitted to pushing one of the employees, all whilst shouting, swearing and placing the woman in a state of alarm.

Then in a different shop at Scotmid on the same day he punched a protective screen at the shop counter whilst shouting and swearing on two separate occasions.

The first time he entered that store, he also admitted to uttering derogatory remarks and threats that placed two of the workers in a state of alarm.

The 46-year-old appeared in the dock at Dumbarton Sheriff Court last week for the sentencing of the matters and for a community payback order progress review.

Kenneth McGowan, defending, said: “The entirety of this complaint was captured on CCTV footage. He remains subject to an order at this current stage. It wasn’t a difficult task to engage with discussion; he said all the right things about being on the straight and narrow.

“He remains subject to an order. Efforts were made to resolve charge five and six on the first matter.”

Sheriff William Gallacher said: “So far, so good following your sentence in relation to your earlier matter. I will allow the existing order to continue so you can continue to do what is required of you. Hopefully you get benefit from it and the rest of the community feel a benefit from it as well.”

The sheriff allowed the existing order to continue and deferred sentencing until May.