A SCREWDRIVER-wielding thug who abducted a perfect stranger and threatened to stab in him in the eye was jailed for four years yesterday.

Garry Kelly, from Alva, negotiated a lift home from his victim before subjecting him to a terrifying ordeal, which ultimately forced the complainer to leap from the moving car to safety.

He threatened to stab him on a number of occasions while demanding he drive him around central Scotland, attempting to take money from him and his phone.

But when he ordered the driver to head down a dark forest path, the victim felt he had no choice than to jump clear of the car, which was travelling at 40mph.

His tormentor was later found hiding behind a wall by police officers

Kelly appeared at Stirling Sheriff Court on Tuesday and was handed an extended sentence for the offence.

The court heard how the 27-year-old had washed down Valium with a full bottle of Buckfast, before approaching his victim in Larbert, Stirlingshire.

He asked him if he would buy more alcohol for him "because he had no ID"

The 24-year-old man agreed and went into the shop and bought the items. However, when he came out Kelly said he had no money, and offered the complainer £20 to drive him back to Alva to get some.

Kelly directed the driver to Alva and told him to drive down a one-way street.

At first he refused, but then "somewhat reluctantly" agreed.

Yet, halfway down the street, Kelly told him to stop, before pulling a screwdriver from the passenger door compartment and saying: "Give me all your money or I'll stab you in the eye."

Sarah Lumsden, prosecuting, said the complainer was "very fearful" that if he left his car he would be seriously assaulted, so he handed over his wallet – which was empty.

Kelly then told him to drive to a cash machine, warning him, "stick with the programme or you'll get hurt," and "if we see the police and you try to stop them you'll get stabbed in the throat".

Ms Lumsden said when they got to the cash machine, his account was overdrawn, and he could not get any money, so Kelly ordered him to hand over his iPhone and drive to Cash Converters in Stirling.

Halfway there he changed his mind and ordered him to drive to shop in Clackmannan where a man was reputed to buy phones, but he wasn't in.

They walked back to the car and Kelly said he had "scalpels" on him, before ordering his victim to drive around while he directed.

Ms Lumsden added: "The drive led to a secluded woodland park, and as [the complainer] turned up the track he was incredibly frightened and thought that Kelly would kill him."

The fiscal depute said he then decided to escape.

She said: "He did a U-turn, took off his seat belt, accelerated to about 40 miles an hour, opened his door, and jumped out of the moving car, rolling as he hit the ground."

The vehicle carried on and ended up in a ditch, while the victim ran back down the track and saw two dog walkers. They directed him to a house where he knocked on the door.

Ms Lumsden said: "The householder found him extremely distressed, took him in, and phoned the police."

A full-scale search with police dogs was launched and Kelly was found hiding behind a wall.

The complainer was said to have suffered "numerous scrapes" to his arms, hands and knees as a result of jumping from the car.

Claire McCarron, defending, said Kelly was "upset" after visiting the patient in the Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert, and on leaving the infirmary he had drunk "a bottle of Buckfast and taken a significant amount of Valium".

The lawyer said: "He was without finance and has resorted to the use of violence as he does whenever he finds he wants something."

She said there was "no doubt" that Kelly – who has spent much of his adult life in custody – continued to present a high risk of re-offending and a danger to the public.

In addition to the four year jail sentence, Sheriff William Gilchrist imposed a further two years extension, during which time Kelly will be automatically returned to jail if he re-offends.

He told him: "This was obviously a very serious charge.The victim was so terrified that he jumped out of a moving car.

"You have a record which, given that you're 27, is quite extraordinary, eight cases on indictment, and a longest previous sentence of three years.

"A custodial sentence is inevitable."

Kelly showed no emotion as he was led to the cells.

The court heard that Mr Horne was a complete stranger to Kelly, who had never met him before the incident.