Jail for man who held knife in threatening manner in Aultbea incident in Wester Ross
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
AN Aultbea businessman who produces black puddings told a jury how a neighbour in the blocks of flats where he lives shouted at him and threatened him with knife.
John-Eric Ritchie, who told Inverness Sheriff Court he produces black puddings from a recipe handed down by his granny in the quiet west coast village, was standing at his kitchen window in his first floor flat at Mackenzie Square when 41 year-old Craig Lamont pulled into a car parking bay and picked up a knife from the footwell of his car
He said Lamont held the knife up towards him from the car park below in a threatening manner and started shouting abuse.
Lamont, who was sentenced to 47 months for wilful fire-raising at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in 2006 and a nine months sentence for assault earlier this year, appeared from custody and denied behaving in a threatening manner and possession of a knife on May 6 at Mackenzie Square.
The court heard in evidence that Lamont lived in a neighbouring flat on the same floor as Mr Ritchie (51) who said in his evidence he "had a few run-ins" with the accused after he came to live in the flats.
Mr Ritchie said he was pouring milk down a sink in his flat when Lamont arrived in his Vauxhall Cabriolet convertible car.
"He pulled forward below my window and he took out this blade looked up at my flat then reversed back down to his own parking bay."
Mr Ritchie said Lamont had picked up the blade which was up to 12 inches long from the footwell of the car.
"He looked at me, saw me pouring the milk down the sink and he was holding it in front of my window for about four to five seconds then reversed into his own bay."
Mr Ritchie said his window was closed but when he opened it he heard the accused shouting phrases that he would 'kill him' and 'stab him to death'.
"He looked at me like the Statue of Liberty with the flame in his hand."
Although he is over 6ft tall Mr Ritchie said he was facing a man with a knife in his hand.
"The biggest man can be taken down with a knife," he said.
At the time he didn't know of any witnesses to the incident so he never called the police.
But later he received a call from a downstairs neighbour, Anne Wiseman (58), who texted him to say she had seen Lamont with the knife.
"He stopped outside my living room window and I saw him standing there holding a big-bladed knife staring upstairs at John-Eric Ritchie's flat," said Mrs Wiseman.
The knife was never recovered but police were called to the scene from Inverness and arrived two hours after the incident. After interviewing witnesses Lamont was arrested.
The jury found him guilty by a majority on both charges.
Defence solicitor Duncan Henderson said given his record he moved for sentencing immediately and asked the sheriff not to delay for reports.
He said Lamont had now been offered another tenancy well away from Aultbea.
Sheriff Mark Thornley sentenced him to a total of 12 months back dated to May 7 when he was remanded.
