A Buckfast-drinking lout who armed himself with a machete and a crossbow and threatened to 'chop up' workers at a neighbouring home while he was wearing a stab-proof vest is said to be making 'good progress' with a court order.

Kilwinning man David Duffy launched the verbal abuse 'for no apparent reason' at a pair of heating engineers working at a property next door on March 25 this year.

Duffy, 26, previously pleaded guilty to a charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner during the incident on Fergushill Road in his hometown.

During an earlier court appearance, procurator fiscal depute Alexander Fraser said: "They [the workmen] observed Duffy in the front garden of his own home.

"He was wearing a stab proof vest and tracksuit bottoms. He was seen drinking from a bottle of Buckfast.

"For no apparent reason he started shouting at the workmen, threatening to 'chop them up'."

Duffy then threw his bottle of Buckfast towards the workmen, but it "did not land anywhere near" the pair, the hearing was told.

Mr Fraser said Duffy then went inside his home, but returned to the garden a short time later – this time holding a machete which, the court heard, was around the length of a baseball bat.

The fiscal depute added: "Again he started shouting and swearing, as well as challenging them to a fight.

"The men ignored him, hoping that would defuse the situation, but Duffy then went back into his house and shortly thereafter came back into the garden with a black crossbow.

"He pointed the crossbow towards where the workmen were, but he didn’t leave the garden."

Another neighbour who had heard part of what happened contacted police; officers arrived a short time later and found Duffy inside his home, where he was arrested.

During this previous court appearance, Duffy's solicitor had informed the court that the Kilwinning man had previously been placed on a community payback order which he was "progressing well" on.

It was for that reason they called for fresh background reports, as well as a report in relation to this order, prior to sentencing.

With these reports now available, his solicitor asked Sheriff Colin Bissett to give consideration to another community-based sentence for this matter.

They noted his "high level of engagement" with his current order and that he was making good progress towards completing his period of unpaid work.

They asked that Duffy be given more time to make further progress, and that sentence be deferred further to show he could be of good behaviour before any fresh order is made.

Sheriff Bissett agreed to give Duffy "the benefit" of continuing on his current community orders and delayed sentence until later this year to allow further progress and for Duffy to be of good behaviour.