Ballingry takeaway incident: Lochore man made murder threat after taking meat cleaver

Thomas McDonald held the cleaver with a 12-inch blade as he ran towards a man who had gone to a local shop.

McDonald, who has a previous conviction for walking about Cowdenbeath High Street armed with a machete, managed to avoid a jail term for this latest incident in Ballingry.

McDonald, 29, of Ballingry Road, appeared for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

He admitted that on August 3 last year, at Benarty Square, Ballingry, he acted aggressively, shouted, swore and ran towards the complainer whilst brandishing a meat cleaver and making threats of violence.

He also admitted being unlawfully in possession of an offensive weapon.

Depute fiscal Jill Curry said the complainer went to a local store and saw McDonald standing outside as he entered.

McDonald then ran around the back of the shop and entered the rear door of the China Star takeaway.

He was shouting and picked up a meat cleaver before running out with it in his hand.

The meat cleaver was brandished by McDonald as he moved towards the complainer.

Another person intervened and McDonald was grabbed to the ground.

He was shouting: “Me and my brother are going to murder you.”

McDonald managed to break free and again moved towards the complainer, still holding the cleaver, the court was told.

However, he then dropped it as he charged towards the complainer.

Defence solicitor Brian Allison said: “He has no recollection of any of it. There had been an over-indulgence of alcohol but he’s not using that as an excuse. Summary retribution was meted out to him at the time.”

Sheriff James MacDonald said: “This is an extremely serious matter and people must have been petrified for their life.”

He imposed a community payback order with 300 hours of unpaid work.

The sheriff warned McDonald that if he breached the order he could expect to go to jail.

In 2017, McDonald was fined £1,000 for walking about Cowdenbeath High Street on a Saturday night with a machete.