A Kelty man found drunk in a shop doorway and taken home by police ended up assaulting his mother and brother. 

Johnathon Nicol, 31, of Cocklaw Street, threatened to stab his brother while holding a knife, repeatedly punched his mother, attempted to hit his brother with a hoover and also bit him on the arm.  

He admitted that on January 26, at an address in Kelty, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner which was likely to cause a reasonable person fear or harm in that he did shout, swear, act in an aggressive manner, take possession of a knife and threatened to stab his brother. 

He also admitted assaulting his mother by repeatedly punching her on the body, and assaulting his brother by attempting to hit him with a vacuum cleaner and bite him on the arm to his injury. 

Depute fiscal Dev Kapadia told Dunfermline Sheriff Court that a drunken Nicol was found in a shop doorway  by a passerby who was concerned about his welfare. 

He said: “He was checked over by ambulance staff and police tried to take him home but he said he wanted to go to his friend’s house. Later an ambulance was called at 1.30am as the police saw Nicol sleeping in a car park.

"However, he was found not to need any medical assistance. At this point the accused’s mother phoned and the police answered her call. She said she was happy for him to be brought home.” 

At home, Nicol was “ranting away to himself”. His mother told him to be quiet but he wanted her to call his girlfriend. She saw that the number was blocked and said she didn’t want to do that. 

Mr Kapadia said: “By now his brother had woken up. The accused called him a prick and challenged him to a fight but his mother tried tried to calm him down.

"The accused then picked up a hoover and tried to hit his brother with it. His brother managed to grab the hoover but it appears the situation escalated to a scuffle.” 

Nicol went downstairs but “continued to fight and swear” and picked up a kitchen knife.

When his brother went downstairs to see if his mother was ok, she said she had taken a knife off Nicol.

Mr Kapadia said: “The accused then lunged towards his brother and grabbed him on the wrist before striking him on the bicep. 

“The injury had broken off a chunk of his brother’s skin and he was bleeding. The incident appeared to awaken the accused who apologised to his brother.” 

Defence solicitor Elaine Buist said alcohol was at the root of her client’s behaviour. 

Sheriff Charles Macnair said: “These are serious offences, possessing a knife and assaulting your brother by biting him.

"You have a bad record for disorder and violence. This is an appalling report, however I am just prepared to deal with it by a non-custodial sentence. You are going to have to sort yourself out.”

Nicol was given 225 hours of unpaid work and a two year supervision order.