Jail for Stenhousemuir man who assaulted delivery driver, stole his car and crashed it, and threatened to blow up a hospital

Darren Nicol, 39, tried to grab the freshly-cooked meal from the 44-year-old delivery driver, after he mistakenly took it to the wrong block of flats in Camelon.

A court heard that as the driver realised his mistake and began to walk towards the correct address, Nicol approached, pointed at the meal, and said, "That's for me." The delivery driver informed Nichol that it wasn't for him.

Prosecutor James Moncrieff said: "Without warning the accused began punching him repeatedly to his head and body. He was shouting 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry' while trying to cover himself from the repeated blows."

Nicol took no notice and continued to punch him before grabbing his car keys from his hand and demanding to know where his car was.

The "distressed" delivery man pointed down the street to where his red Toyota Aygo was parked. Nicol got in, initially stalled it, and then reversed it out of the street, Abercrombie Street, Camelon.

Nicol was seen then driving the car into Hillary Road, in Stenhousemuir "at excessively high speed".

Mr Moncrieff said its tyres were screeching as it negotiated a left turn into the street, before crashing onto a perimeter fence. The car came to halt with smoke coming from it. Nicol tried and failed to restart the engine.

Mr Moncrieff said he was challenged by residents of the street, who all formed the opinion he was under the influence of either drink or drugs.

In video footage of the incident played to the court, one man is heard shouting at Nicol, "You could have hit any of the weans who are cutting about the street."

Nicol walked off, and was arrested ten minutes later, at 6.35 pm.

Due to fears he had been injured in the crash, he was taken to Forth Valley Royal Hospital, where he said, "I've got a bomb strapped to me and I'm going to blow this place up. There's going to be violence."

Despite the blows he rained on him, the delivery man, though shaken, did not need medical attention.

At Stirling Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday, Nicol, of Stenhousemuir, who appeared by video link from Low Moss Prison, pleaded guilty to assault, driving dangerously while under the influence of drink or drugs, and statutory breach of the peace.

Solicitor Nicky Matteo, defending, said Nicol had been drinking vodka and Buckfast on the day of the incident, October 2, 2023.

He added: "He was hit by the airbags in the accident and his recollection of events is extremely vague."

Nicol told the court: "I just want to apologise."

In addition to the 40 month jail term, Sheriff Keith O'Mahony banned Nicol from driving for 54 months. He said he would be failing in his duty if he did not properly mark his "senseless acts".

He said: "He must have been terrified by the attack you inflicted on him [and] your driving was atrocious. It was sheer luck there were not more severe consequences."