A 23-YEAR-OLD man has been jailed for going to his mum’s house armed with a meat cleaver, accompanied by two other masked males.

The incident occurred in Inverkeithing just after Christmas following a dispute within the family, a court was told.

Liam McGarvie and his masked companions entered the house shouting and swearing. He was making threats and swung the meat cleaver, striking a bannister.

McGarvie, 23, currently a prisoner, appeared for trial before a jury at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

The trial heard that McGarvie was living in homeless accommodation in Dunfermline at the time.

He initially denied the charges he faced but, shortly into the trial, he submitted guilty pleas after hearing evidence from his mother.

McGarvie admitted that on December 28, at Spencerfield Road, whilst acting along with unknown others, he struck a door, entered the house uninvited with others whose faces were masked, repeatedly shouted, swore and made threats of violence, brandished a meat cleaver and struck a bannister with it, causing damage.

He also admitted that, at the same address, he was unlawfully in possession of a bladed weapon in a public place.

His ‘not guilty’ plea to a charge of assaulting his brother by attempting to strike him with the meat cleaver was accepted.

There was then a disruption in the dock with the accused struggling with custody officers before being taken to the cells.

When he returned to court for sentencing, defence solicitor Elaine Buist said: “He has absolutely no recollection of the incident or of attending at his mother’s.

“He had been doing well but was back in Inverkeithing and relapsed into hanging about with a bad crowd.

“He was taking illicit drugs but on this occasion it was a one-off when he took Xanex and has a complete lack of memory afterwards.”

Sheriff Charles MacNair told McGarvie: “You and two others, who had their faces masked, went to your mother’s house where you behaved in the manner described by her, which of course included you brandishing a meat cleaver.

“That must have been terrifying for her and your brother. You have a record of similar behaviour and of offending with weapons.”

He jailed McGarvie for 15 months backdated to January 7 when he was remanded in custody.

McGarvie was previously jailed for threatening ambulance staff who were trying to help his girlfriend after a suspected overdose.

On that occasion, the paramedics arrived to find McGarvie in an “irate” state. He told them: “You better sort out my girlfriend or else”.