A CLYDEBANK teenager who was found wielding a knife in a North Drumry street has been locked up.

Ryan Oneil was handed 15 months’ detention when he appeared in court last week.

Oneil, of Whitecrook Street, had the blade with him without a reasonable excuse in Kirkoswald Drive on May 4 last year.

His solicitor, Brian McGuire, told Dumbarton Sheriff Court on Friday the 19-year-old had pleaded guilty to the charge at a hearing on Christmas Eve, when sentence was deferred for background reports.

Mr McGuire also said his client was currently on remand in connection with an unrelated court case – and that his time behind bars had greatly improved his condition.

“When he appeared previously I had a distinct concern about him,” Mr McGuire said, “which is clearly reflected in the view of the social worker who has prepared the report.

“He explains that now he is in custody and on prescribed medication, this is the best he has felt for some considerable time.”

Mr McGuire told the court both he and Oneil accepted that a custodial sentence was “inevitable” and asked Sheriff William Gallacher to sentence his client without seeking any further background information.

Sheriff Gallacher observed that Oneil’s position was that the knife had not been used, and that he had had no other weapons on him at the time – but noted that Oneil had a past conviction for a serious assault.

Click here for all the latest news from Clydebank and the surrounding areas

The sheriff told Oneil: “I’ve said repeatedly in this court that parliament has passed legislation dealing with those in possession of a knife, which is designed to prevent something happening, even if the item is not used.

“You have a very serious previous conviction where you carried out an assault causing serious injury and permanent disfigurement.”