A DALMUIR man caught with two knives in the streets has avoided going to jail.

James Rae, of Ottawa Crescent, pleaded guilty in June to failing to tell police he had a knife when they told him they would search him on July 17, 2021.

The 24-year-old admitted two charges of having a knife in Argyll Road, Clydebank.

At Dumbarton Sheriff Court on November 18, defence solicitor Judith Reid said her client had had "adverse childhood experiences".

She recommended the Venture Trust as the only organisation who could tackle his challenges and break his cycle of offending.

Ms Reid said: "He would be anxious for that opportunity."

She said Rae had previously been under a curfew as well as spent a period on remand.

Sheriff Maxwell Hendry said Rae was still a young man but had a bad criminal record. He noted Rae continued to arm himself, claiming it was for his own protection.

He said: "That's something to be ashamed of. Various things have been tried to break the cycle of offending.

"The situation here is fairly dire. I could send you to custody for years, not months.

"I'm prepared not to do that, but I'm putting together a package that is as close as it can be."

He put Rae on a community payback order with two years of supervision by social workers. He must attend the Venture Trust, mental health services and addiction services as directed by them.

He must also do 100 hours of unpaid work in the community within 12 months. There will be regular reviews of his progress.

And there was a new curfew imposed, electronically monitored, from 7pm to 7am each day for four months.

The first review is on December 16.