A THUG has been jailed for stabbing a man in Crosshill.

Darren Johnstone, 31, had been found guilty of assaulting a man at a house in Main Street, Crosshill by repeatedly striking him on the body with a knife or similar implement to his injury on December 19 last year.

Solicitor, Alexander Flett, said medical evidence had described the injuries as superficial,

"He didn't go out looking for trouble on the night in question," he said.

"He appreciates the Court will deal with this by the imposition of a custodial sentence."

Sheriff Alastair Brown said Johnstone's victim presented as a "lonely, somewhat sad man with a drink problem and poor judgement."

He said: "Company appears to have been all he was interested in. You reacted with belligerence and violence and you took a knife to him.

"You have convictions for violence and threats and you have served a prison sentence for one of those offences of violence."

Sheriff Brown said the offence was mitigated "to a limited extent" by the fact that Johnstone had chosen to stab or strike his victim in the arm rather than the torso.

"It is clear to me – and seems to be conceded – that the only appropriate sentence is a custodial one," he added. "Knife crime will not be tolerated."

He jailed Johnstone, whose address was given in Court as Lamberton Place, St Andrews, for a total of two years and one month back dated to November 7. Johnstone will also be subject to a supervised release order for nine months on his release.