A SAUCHIE teenager came “to the end of the road” last week when he was given nearly two years’ detention.

The system finally ran out of patience for Shaun McKeown who was sentenced to a total of 703 days in Polmont at Alloa Sheriff Court last Thursday (18 June) The 19-year-old was convicted of threatening behaviour, of assaulting two women by waving a knife through a letter box, and of failing to adhere to a number of court orders.

He also breached two community payback orders, both of which had been set down as a “direct alternative” to custody.

In mitigation, his solicitor Jim Savage said: “This most recent short period on remand has had the desired effect on him. I would ask your ladyship to consider a restriction of liberty order as an alternative to custody.” McKeown was convicted for his role in assaulting a man on Hill Street, Alloa, on 16 February 2013 and of committing a breach of the peace by shouting, swearing, and repeatedly uttering offensive remarks while on a bus on its way to Main Street, Sauchie, on 1 March 2013.

For these two offences, the teen was given separate community payback orders but admitted to non-compliance last week.

He was then arrested for kicking and headbutting the window of a vacant shop on Sauchie Main Street on 15 September 2013.

He then breached the terms of an anti-social behaviour order at Keilarsbrae, Sauchie, on 20 October 2013.

A few days later, on 1 November, he took a knife to a property on Fairfield.

Depute fiscal Claire Bremner told the court that McKeown had been at a Hallowe’en party before he became too intoxicated and was asked to leave.

She said he returned at around 2.30am and was in possession of a large knife or “possibly a machete”, according to witnesses.

When he was denied access, he “thrust the knife through the letter box, narrowly missing” two women inside.

Ms Bremnner added: “The witnesses retreated to a safe distance and shouted they were calling the police.

“Officers carried out a search...and the accused was eventually traced. The knife was never recovered.” McKeown also admitted to a breach of his curfew on 9 November 2013 and to failing to appear at Alloa Sheriff Court on 4 February 2015.

Despite his lawyer’s plea for an electronic tag instead of custody, Sheriff Gillian Wade insisted there was no viable alternative to detention.

She said: “I have considered all that has been said on your behalf today but, I am sure this will come as no surprise to you, this court has come to the end of the road with you.

“With regard to the breach matters, when these community payback orders were first imposed you were told in no uncertain terms that if you failed to comply then you would be brought back to court and would face a period in custody.

“And so, I will impose a custodial sentence today.” McKeown was given concurrent sentences of 137 and 135 days for the two CPO breaches, along with a consecutive term of 120 days for the threatening behaviour offence on Sauchie Main Street.

He was told he will serve 180 days for the ASBO breach, consecutively, along with 266 days for brandishing the knife through the letter box.

He was given 120 days for breaching his curfew, although this term will run concurrent with his other sentences. He was admonished for his failure to appear.

The 703 sentence was backdated to 3 June when the teen was remanded in custody. His earliest release date is therefore sometime in May next year.