A LARGS man with a previous conviction for carrying a knife in the town has been given a second chance by a sheriff after battering a campervan with a broom handle.

Thomas Moodie admitted to acting in a threatening and abusive manner outside a common close on Gateside Street in the town and repeatedly striking a car and campervan with a broom handle causing the windscreen of the car to break.

He also pleaded guilty to repeatedly striking the walls and floor with the item, shouting, swearing and directing derogatory comments towards his mother.

A prosecutor at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court told a sentencing hearing that the neighbour of Moodie's mum had her living room window open at around 9.45pm on July 14 when they heard banging outside.

They saw Moodie, of Rae Court, hitting the bonnet of the victim's car and the ladder of a campervan with what they believed to be a stick.

The 30-year-old stopped when the neighbours shouted at him from inside before they headed out into the common close.

Moodie went inside the building, hitting the broom handle off the walls and floor as he headed into his mum's flat.

The fiscal depute said Moodie was heard shouting expletives and the banging noises continued.

Police were then contacted and they arrived at the scene along with Moodie's girlfriend who had been called by his mum to tell her that he arrived at her house drunk.

The Largs man was arrested and the wooden broom handle was seized from the couch.

The court heard last week that £500 worth of damage was caused to the vehicle, but Moodie paid the excess of the victim's insurance.

We previously reported that he was placed on a structured deferred sentence at the start of this year for being in possession of a knife in the town. 

Sheriff Laura Mundell said: "What I am really worried about hearing is that a 30-year-old man appears in court in what was a serious charge of possession of a knife, but a man with serious convictions got this opportunity of a structured deferred sentence and in the first review he seemed to be doing well.

"He demonstrated he was motivated to develop a healthier relationship with alcohol, but in the meantime he is behaving like this and ends up pleading guilty to very serious conduct and he now has two convictions on his record."

His defence solicitor said: "He is very realistic about the situation he is in. I think it is important to note the date of the offence as he turned 30 four days prior to this and his mother had taken him out for the day.

"He struggled with alcohol problems and has little recollection of the events that took place that evening.

"He shows genuine remorse and is disappointed in himself. He has not drank since. This is not a situation where he has fallen off the ladder and remained in that situation.

"He has taken steps and all positive to deal with issues that relate to what could have been negative factors."

Sheriff Mundell said: "I could send you to prison today but I am going to give you a second chance. You have completed a structured deferred sentence but that doesn't seem to have stopped you offending.

"I have taken a note of everything your solicitor has said about your recognition that you are demonstrating yourself and you are trying to get help. You are to be commended for all of that. You are going in the right direction."

Moodie was placed on a community payback order and will be under social work supervision for 12 months. He was also ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work within six months.