Published: Wednesday, 9th September, 2009 10:07am

Angry man's temper led to 3 attacks

Dad warned prison beckons if he doesn't change

AN angry man involved in three separate attacks on members of the public has avoided jail.

Delinquent dad Thomas Clancy could offer little explanation for his involvement in the crimes, although it was suggested alcohol had played a part.

During the most recent incident, on July 22 this year, the 20-year-old was part of a group of men which charged at a car driving down the road.

Malcolm McLeod, fiscal depute, told Dumbarton Sheriff Court on Thursday that the woman driver, who had three passengers, tried to accelerate away from the baying mob, but when she slowed down to negotiate a roundabout Clancy caught up.

He then threw the bottle at the car's windscreen, risking injury to the people in the car and leaving them alarmed, as the bottle smashed.

The incident happned on East Barns Street, Whitecrook, near to North Elgin Street.

Just months earlier, on April 15, Clancy attacked a complete stranger outside Clydebank's ASDA supermarket at around 8.45pm, because he believed the victim had been staring at him.

Mr McLeod told the court the incident started inside the store, saying: "The accused was with another person and he started pointing in another male's face and saying 'are you staring at me pal?'.

"This was repeated and he was becoming increasingly aggressive.

"[When] the complainer made his way out of ASDA [he] found the accused and two others waiting for him."

Clancy then "squared up" to the victim and headbutted him in the face, which led to the man smashing his head off the supermarket wall and left him with a cut lip.

It took just 15 minutes for police to track Clancy down on Kilbowie Road.

Seven months earlier, on September 19 last year, Clancy was caught on CCTV when he was part of a group which assaulted a man by repeatedly punching and kicking him to the head and body to his injury.

This incident happened on Chalmers Street, Clydebank, at around 11.45pm.

Phil Lafferty, defending, said: "From my discussion with Mr Clancy it seems clear that alcohol did play a part in these incidents, although there is no mention of it.

"The second incident was a case where there was a perception that this individual was laughing at his companion, who apparently has an injury of some sort.

"Mr Clancy has been quite clear in stating to me that he wants to turn over a new leaf."

Clancy, of 207 Vanguard Street, Drumry, had previously admitted all the offences and breathed a sigh of relief as Sheriff Rajni Swanney placed him on 12 months probation.

But Sheriff Swanney warned: "Mr Clancy as a young man can I assure you that you will spend a number of years incarcerated if you continue to behave like this.

"This is an opportunity the court is giving you, it's not a get out of jail free card and unless you change you will be spending time in custody."

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