A GREENOCK lout given a community-based sentence for a High Court offence has been told by a sheriff that he could still go to jail - for breaking in to a ship.

Multiple offender Jordan A'Hara, 20, had been charged with repeatedly brandishing a machete at police officers.

He admitted admitted acting in an aggressive manner and repeatedly shouting, swearing and uttering threats of violence towards a woman.

A'hara also repeatedly swore and uttered homophobic remarks towards a male police officer.

He committed the offences on Maple Road on February 24 last year.

A sentencing hearing at the sheriff court was told that A'hara has recently been sentenced to an alternative to custody at the High Court.

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In a separate offence, A'Hara stole a GPS system from a boat moored at East India Harbour in 2021.

He originally faced the 'shipbreaking' indictment charge with a co-accused after the pair were said to have illegally boarded a vessel named Fiona and stolen the GPS system along with Nikon binoculars, a blow torch and a black lighter stick.

The latest calling of the case was told by solicitor Gerry Keenan that A'Hara pleaded guilty last month to unrelated indictment offences during solemn proceedings at the High Court in Glasgow.

He was sentenced to a community payback order as a direct alternative to custody, with a 12-month period of supervision imposed along with 120 hours of unpaid work.

A'Hara was also ordered to remain within his home address between the hours of 9pm and 6am from Monday-Saturday each week for six months.

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Sentence on the sheriff court matters had been deferred to await the outcome of A'Hara's solemn case.

He had been remanded from the outset of those proceedings and was released on October 24.

Sheriff James Spy deferred sentence on the summary matters for a period of three months to assess A'Hara's progress with the other orders.

The sheriff told him: "If you do not take this chance then it will be custody for you, is that clear?"

A further hearing was scheduled and A'Hara, of John Street, is due to return to the court on January 31.