Coatbridge thug held knife against elderly aunt's throat and assaulted two police officers

Airdrie Sheriff Court
-Credit:Daily Record


A Coatbridge thug who held a knife against his elderly aunt's throat claimed he was only trying to find his violent father.

James McCafferty alleged his dad had stabbed him on a previous occasion, and he lost the plot when no one would tell him where he was.

The 28-year-old smashed a TV, a mirror and other items before driving off and crashing his car.

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McCafferty admitted threatening or abusive behaviour in Thistledown Grove, Coatbridge, on June 28 while on bail, reports Lanarkshire Live.

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He also admitted driving dangerously, assaulting two cops, racially abusing a third officer and failing to provide a blood test.

Airdrie Sheriff Court heard he smashed a window at his aunt's home and climbed through the broken glass into her living room.

He appeared to be intoxicated and was shouting abuse.

The elderly woman's screams alerted another female who was working upstairs.

McCafferty brandished a knife at both women and threatened to kill them.

He went towards the older woman who backed off and he then held the knife at her throat.

He warned he would be back and climbed out of the broken window before driving off in his Seat car.

McCafferty was seen weaving in and out of traffic and crashing into a fence. He drove on to the M8 and police were contacted.

Officers discovered his crashed car on a verge near Glasgow Fort Shopping Centre.

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They found him lying unconscious on the ground in Queenslie Industrial Estate.

He was revived with naxolone and promptly punched one cop on the face and spat at another.

McCafferty also hurled racist slurs at a third officer.

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Defence lawyer Neal McShane said McCafferty had "struggled to cope" after being slashed on the face and stabbed five times by his dad and an associate.

Mr McShane told the court: "His life spiralled out of control. On the day of this incident he had been abusing alcohol and went to his aunt's house in an effort to trace his father.

"What happened thereafter was disgraceful. Whatever difficulties he had with his father, his aunt was nothing to do with it."

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The solicitor said McCafferty has been in jail since his arrest last summer and intends to set up home in Glasgow with his partner and child on his release.

Sheriff Paul Haran said, given the time already spent in custody, he would impose a 20-month community payback order with a condition to attend addiction services.

McCafferty was also handed a two-month electronic tagging order with a 7pm to 7am curfew and banned from driving for 20 months.

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