A 20-year-old man has dodged custody after admitting to making a violent threat while on bail.

Jason Callaghan, from Ardrossan, appeared from custody at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court last week and admitted two charges.

Callaghan was an accused person granted bail on December 15 last year and was subject to the condition that he remain within his home address at the hostel on Princes Street between 7pm-7am.

On December 16, he failed to comply with the condition in that he was not within his home during those hours. On the same date, Callaghan behaved in a threatening or abusive manner in that he uttered a threat of violence towards staff at the hostel.

Callaghan had been remanded in custody and returned to court last week to hear his fate following reports.

Solicitor Ms Katy Dawson said: “The report suggests he is a young man who presents a number of difficulties. He has support from the Richmond Fellowship. He is a lot younger than he presents.

“He presents as someone who’s a particularly vulnerable individual. It would strike me that he would be somebody who could be dealt with by way of a Community Payback Order.”

Sheriff Michael Hanlon told Callaghan: “The report suggests your time on remand has caused you to have time to reflect. I’m going to take into account the amount of time you’ve spent in custody. On charge one, I’m admonishing and dismissing you.

“In relation to the shouting at staff working in the hostel, there needs to be some kind of punishment.”

He imposed 120 hours unpaid work.