A father-of-three forced his way into a neighbour's home and attacked a terrified man with a machete. Matthew McCann, 31, was sentenced to 15 months in prison at Hamilton Sheriff Court after admitting assault.
Details of the Attack
The incident occurred on March 12 at a flat in Stewarton Terrace, Wishaw. The victim and his partner were in the living room at around 2am when McCann broke down the front door and entered wielding a machete.
Prosecutor Calum Frame told the court: "He swung the machete towards the victim who was terrified and told McCann he had the wrong address and the wrong person." The victim hid behind a door, and although McCann's machete blows missed, he punched the man on the jaw, causing bruising. The victim managed to push McCann out of the property into the common close, but sustained a small cut to his arm during the struggle.
Background and Defence
Defence agent Laura Kiernan said there had been "bad blood" between the men. McCann claimed his mother had been harassed by the victim and the victim's brother. "He had been drinking and took matters into his own hands. It was the wrong thing to do," Kiernan stated. She added that McCann has had "a difficult and somewhat chaotic life" and has struggled with substance abuse, but has been attending a recovery group.
Sentencing Remarks
Sheriff Kevin McCallum KC told McCann: "You have an appalling record. There have been crimes involving violence and the use or possession of weapons. You were on early release from prison when you committed this home invasion. I need to protect the public."
McCann is currently serving a 12-month sentence and was due for release next month. The 15-month stretch will not start until that sentence ends. The sheriff also imposed non-harassment orders for two years.
