Denny teen brandished knife at parents in cannabis row

Reece Dunsmore (18) of 13 Barnego Road, Denny, committed the offence on June 6 this year at his home address.

Fiscal depute Samantha Brown said the incident happened after Dunsmore, who appeared to be under the influence of alcohol, entered a room his parents were in and started shouting at them to source some cannabis for him.

She said: “When his parents refused to comply he became aggressive. He went to the kitchen and got a duck egg and threw it across the room ... then he took a large serrated knife and brandished it at his parents saying ‘Don’t make me.’”

The court heard Dunsmore’s parents managed to get the knife off him then called the police.

Dunsmore’s defence agent said his client had a habit of “responding to the least trigger in a very aggressive manner” but although he was an individual with “lots of problems” his parents remained supportive of him.

He added that he had signed up for a ten-day residential programme aimed at helping young offenders.

Sheriff Derek Livingston said that despite his problems Dunsmore must take responsibility for being “the author of his own misfortunes”.

He continued: “Some of them are self induced due to his cannabis use. There is also a strong element of victim blaming.”

Dunsmore also admitted a separate charge of assaulting a man on February 2 this year in Glebe Street, Denny, while acting with another.

Sheriff Livingston imposed a community payback order of 180 hours to be completed within six months and placed Dunsmore under supervision for two years.

Sentence on the offence involving Dunsmore’s parents was deferred until August 23 for the teen to be on good behaviour but Sheriff Livingstone warned him if he did not comply that custody would be “uppermost” in his mind.

“This is your last chance,” he warned.