A 17-YEAR-OLD who became involved in a "vigilante" incident in Lochgelly has been sentenced.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in the dock at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

He was sentenced for vandalism and being in possession of a steak knife which he put in the waistband of his trousers after trying to arrange a fight.

The youth previously admitted that on August 14 at Bishop Avenue, Lochgelly, he smashed the rear window of car by striking it with a wooden drawer.

He also admitted that at Paul Street, he smashed two window panels in a door and was also unlawfully in possession of a knife.

Depute fiscal Dev Kapadia had told the court previously: “There appears an ongoing feud between various parties.”

Defence solicitor Alexander Aime Allan said: “He’s only 17 and only really a child. He had consumed a large amount of alcohol.”

The man whose car was vandalised by the youth was the grandson of a man who had allegations made against him.

Sheriff James MacDonald imposed a community payback order with 180 hours of unpaid work and 18 months supervision.

He told the would-be vigilante that it was only his young age that prevented him from being put being bars at this stage, describing his actions as “deliberate and calculated”.

At an earlier hearing of the case, Sheriff Alastair Brown said: “This seems to have been some sort of vigilante action.

“It may be that in some parts of this sheriffdom people think they can take matters into their own hands and it may be Lochgelly is one of those areas.

“This will not be tolerated in Lochgelly or anywhere else it occurs, be that Townhill, Cowdenbeath, Dalgety Bay or wherever.

“People living in these areas should not have to put up with this nonsense.”