'Superned' terrorises residents

Published 30 Jun 2011 08:00

A SELF-PROCLAIMED 'superned' - who terrorised the people of Alva - has been jailed for inflicting his misery on another community.

Eddie Eccles was sentenced to almost four years after trying to rob a man while carrying a knife and terrorising residents of a Dundee street.

The 23-year-old - who was once banned from most of central Scotland after claiming he "ran" Alva at the age of 15 - was spotted skulking around blocks of flats in Dundee on 23 February. Eccles was seen covering his face with his hood each time he exited.

At around 4.15pm he approached Ian Flight (40) in nearby Strathmore Avenue and asked him "How are you doing?"

Mr Flight replied "fine" before Eccles - who has more than 25 previous convictions, including one for stabbing a 13-year-old boy with a pitchfork - demanded his wallet. Mr Flight then turned and saw a knife in Eccles' hand and ran off fearing for his safety.

Later, Eccles was seen to enter the city's Lorimer Street while talking on a mobile phone.

As Susan Gillespie (40) and her 19-year-old daughter Karen got out of a car Eccles pointed towards them and came across.

Fiscal depute Donna Davidson told Dundee Sheriff Court the pair then got back into the car - which Eccles kicked as they tried to drive off.

Eccles was then seen back in the area 15 minutes later - while concerned residents made his location known to police.

Eccles, a prisoner at HMP Perth pled guilty on indictment of assault with intent to rob on 23 February in Dundee's Lorimer Street.

He further admitted committing breach of the peace. Both offences were both committed while Eccles was on bail.

Defence lawyer Brian Allison said Eccles "recognises he faces a lengthy jail term".

He added: "He says he does feel empathy for the victims of the matters before the court.

"He travelled to the area only a short time before the offences and was trying to get away from his previous offending behaviour."

Sheriff Richard Davidson jailed Eccles for 47 months and imposed a year-long post release supervision order.

He said, "It is never going to be acceptable to the court for you to threaten people in the street who are complete strangers to you. You made it obvious that you were in possession of a knife and you demanded the man's wallet - he had the astuteness to run away.

"And then you subjected the two ladies to an incident that would have been extremely frightening and unsettling. You did this while subject to two bail orders and against the background of a horrendous record gained over a short period of time."

In 2009 Eccles was jailed for stabbing a 13-year-old boy with a pitchfork in a series of drink-fuelled attacks in Bannockburn.

Then last year, just months after his release, he was back in custody and sentenced to 15 months behind bars for producing a knife, making threats and repeatedly punching a man in the face in Clackmannanshire.

Eccles claimed the title "superned" in 2004 when he appeared in court for 17 offences of assault, theft, housebreaking and vandalism in Alva where he ran a hooligan gang. At one stage Eccles, then still only 15, marched down the Main Street shouting, "I run Alva".

He also threatened to "bomb" police officers and bit one on the leg when being restrained.

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This article appeared in Alloa & Hillfoots Advertiser 29 Jun 11

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