A MAN who armed himself with a sword when he was threatened on his doorstep and told his dog would be stabbed has been spared a prison sentence.

Robert Richmond gave chase through a Dreghorn street to another man who turned up at his house following a disturbance around 18 months ago.

Richmond, 29, pleaded guilty to two charges and was given a community payback order - despite being warned that the offences did "cross the custody threshold".

Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard last week that in October 2021, Richmond had confronted a group of people outside his home after a disturbance where they were throwing items at a neighbour's house.

His defence solicitor Peter Murray said there was some "very robust language used" by his client during the altercation.

Following the incident, the complainer, who is the father of one of those involved in the disturbance, then attended Richmond's former address in Dundonald Road on October 15, 2021 armed with two screwdrivers and threatened to stab his dog who was in the hallway when he opened the front door.

Richmond initially armed himself with a baseball bat then gave chase with an ornamental sword that had been in his living room.

During Thursday's (March 16) hearing, he admitted being in possession of the two weapons without reasonable excuse or lawful authority.

A not guilty plea was accepted by prosecutors to a third charge of assaulting the other man involved by repeatedly striking him on the body with a sword and baseball bat to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and impairment.

Sheriff George Jamieson told Richmond: "There was obviously a lot of provocation here but you have gone way over the mark.

"This does cross the custody threshold."

Sheriff Jamieson ordered Richmond, of Kilmaurs in East Ayrshire, to complete 120 hours of unpaid work within 12 months as an alternative to a prison sentence.