A knife-wielding stranger who terrorised a couple while they were on a night out is facing a prison sentence.
Liam O’Donnell threatened to slit a woman’s throat while clutching a blade in the early hours of the morning.
O’Donnell, who was unknown to his victims, had approached the pair as they were walking in Stirling city centre.
The city’s sheriff court was told how O’Donnell engaged them in conversation and suddenly said to the man: “Don’t let your f***ing bird talk to me like that.
“I’ll take you down a street with no cameras. I can f***ing ruin you.”
Throat slit threat
Fiscal depute James Moncrieff said O’Donnell, a first offender, had his hands behind his back during the exchange, as if he was holding something.
The prosecutor said: “Originally, they did not think he was being serious and continued walking down the street together.
“However, the accused pulled out an item and presented it towards the female witness.
“He brandished the knife towards her and said: ‘I’m going to kill you. I’m going to slit your throat’.”
The man pushed O’Donnell away and the lout eventually ran off before police were contacted.
O’Donnell, 26, was traced by officers nearby but they did not find the knife after searching him.
However, a passing cyclist told police O’Donnell had also threatened him with a knife and showed the officers where he had discarded it.
A knife with a five-inch blade was recovered and O’Donnell was arrested.
Violent threats continued
The man who intervened became O’Donnell’s target as he was taken to a police office.
Officers noted O’Donnell repeatedly made threats about killing and stabbing the cyclist.
He said: “I’m going to f*** that c*** up.
“If he’s found in a puddle of blood, just know it was me. I am going to cause a heavy scene.”
O’Donnell, of Wyndford Road, Maryhill, Glasgow, pled guilty to shouting, swearing, repeatedly making violent threats to three people, brandishing a knife at the woman and threatening to kill her on October 3 2022 on Barnton Street and Friars Street, Stirling.
Sheriff Derek Hamilton deferred sentencing until next month for reports to be prepared and gave O’Donnell, who appeared in the dock at liberty, a flavour of his potential sentence.
He said: “In view of the serious charge to which you have now pled guilty to and the circumstances of this offence, you will now be remanded in custody.”
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