A MAN who threatened to kill his neighbour before he was due to appear before a jury for brandishing a handgun has been jailed.

Joseph Mullen of Wood Street, Dailly was found guilty of presenting the gun to his victim striking him on the head, causing him to fall to the ground and repeatedly punching and kicking him on the head and body in October last year.

The 23-year-old admitted stealing a bicycle on the same day from his victim on Smith Crescent, Girvan. The trial ran from July 18, 2016 before Mullen was convicted on July 29.

But that didn't keep him out of trouble as he threatened to kill one of his neighbours two days before he was due to appear before Ayr Sheriff Court. 

He admitted behaving in a threatening manner by entering his neighbours house uninvited, shouting, swearing and uttering threats of violence on July 16, 2016. 

On the same night Mullen repeatedly punched his neighbour on the head and body before lunging towards a police constable with a clenched fist when he attended his home that night.

He appeared before Sheriff Desmond Leslie at Ayr Sheriff Court last week.

Depute Fiscal Stephen McLean told the court: "The accused lives across the road from the complainer. That evening the complainer was within the locus with his mother in law.

"At 8pm the accused entered through the front door uninvited. At this time he began to act in an aggressive manner. He asked the complainer to purchase drugs but he declined.

"He began punching the man to the head and torso area. The complainer was extremely scared. Mullen ceased the attack and left the house. The complainer locked the door.

"But Mullen made his way back and tried to make his way into the property but to no avail. He started shouting and swearing and said 'he would kill'. Police officers attended and made their way to the accused's property across the road.

"Mullen was at the window. He began shouting at police and threatened to set his dog on them. His girlfriend tried to calm him down. Officers tried to hand cuff him."

The court heard how he was eventually taken to Ayr Police Office.

Speaking on his behalf defence solicitor Tony Currie said: "He was remanded on July 18. He was doing a significant amount of unpaid work. He has been suffering from mental health issues since he was 17.

"He was taken away from his medical practice in Girvan and transferred to Dailly."

Mullen has been sentenced to 19 months in prison.