Serial offender Franco D'Guanno has been jailed for a year after arming himself with a knife and then throwing it in a bin when police were called to a disturbance. The 34-year-old admitted carrying a knife without reasonable excuse in Muirhouse Road, Motherwell, on May 8.
Knife taken from friend's kitchen
Hamilton Sheriff Court heard D'Guanno, who is from Airdrie, had grabbed the blade from a friend's kitchen after a boozy overnight stay. He has three previous convictions for possession of weapons.
Neil Thomson, prosecuting, said: "The accused was consuming alcohol at a friend's house on the evening of May 7. The following day he left the property and it was noted that a knife was missing from a block of knives in the kitchen."
Incident at Muirhouse Road shops
Around 5pm D'Guanno was in or around the shops in Muirhouse Road when an incident occurred that resulted in the police being contacted. He was seen walking away then placing a knife in a bin. Police officers recovered this and arrested the accused a short time later.
Defence lawyer Paul Belardo said D'Guanno and his friend had argued at a pharmacy. He told the court: "His friend punched him a number of times and that's why the police were called. My client has a significant record but also has a history of mental health problems. It's his position that he took the knife from the house because he intended to self harm."
Custodial sentence imposed
Sheriff Colin Dunipace jailed D'Guanno for a year, noting: "This is your fourth conviction for carrying a weapon. This can only be marked by a custodial sentence." The jail stretch was backdated as he has been in custody since his arrest in May.
In 2024 D'Guanno was jailed for using a rolling pin in a failed robbery attempt at Premier Store in Wheatholm Street, Airdrie. On that occasion he threatened a shop assistant but left empty-handed after being told there was no cash in the till.
