Man jailed over town centre sword chase

A MAN who chased a youth through a busy town centre armed with a sword was jailed yesterday.

David Johnstone, 36, turned on Gary Dorricot, 20, who had called at his home in Girvan, Ayrshire, to accuse him of stealing his mountain bike. Several witnesses made a 999 call to police on seeing Johnstone, waving the weapon, chasing after Mr Dorricot on 27 November.

Johnstone's solicitor Michael O'Neill said his client had taken a "cocktail of heroin, ecstasy and valium". In sentencing Johnstone to 22 months, Sheriff Colin Miller noted that his lengthy criminal record included a 2006 conviction for assault using a knife.

He said the prison term would have been 33 months, but for Johnstone's guilty plea.