Irvine man threatened to chop head off and set fire to house

David Kirk, of Dickson Drive, pleaded guilty to making threats to torch the man’s parent’s home in Wills Gardens, Ayr on May 6 last year unless the debt was paid. 

The-28-year-old also admitted sending threatening texts and voice messages to the man at an address in the town’s Lawson Street on May 9, 2022.  

When he appeared at Ayr Sheriff Court last Thursday [October 12] sentencing was deferred until a later date, after disagreement on whether the debt was regarding drugs or a vehicle. 

The Procurator Fiscal depute said: “The locus was the home address of the witnesses, who were the mother and stepfather of the witness [in charge two]. 

“On May 6 at 8pm, the witness was in the back garden of her home address.

"The accused attended looking for the witnesses’ son – of the view he was owed money.”

The court heard that after asking the woman if she was the witness’s mother, Kirk said: “You have got until tomorrow to get this paid.  

“I’m not hanging about any more. I’ll torch your house, his house and everything round about it.”

The woman then saw the accused walk away, slamming the gate shut and shouting “f***ing black b*****d”.

The fiscal depute added: “Police made various attempts to trace the accused without success. 

"On May 9 the witness received a number of threatening messages. 

“He stated ‘you need your heid chopped aff mate’, ‘sort it out’ and ‘I gave you an option’.”

Kirk was arrested after he handed himself in at Govan police office in Glasgow.

Defence agent Steven Maxwell, representing the accused for McCluskey Browne solicitors, pointed out that while Kirk had pleaded guilty, it was his position that the debt was over a vehicle – while the Crown had alleged it was for drugs.

Sheriff Diane Turner said she would “avoid the issue”, and deferred sentence for Sheriff John Montgomery, who had previously heard details of the case, to hand out a punishment.

Kirk will return to court for sentencing later this month.