A high-risk knife offender has been locked up by a sheriff following an incident at a tower block in Motherwell. Aiden Gaitens was found carrying a machete on the ninth floor of Barons Tower, claiming it was for protection. However, Sheriff John Hamilton expressed his concern, stating that the combination of young men and knives, especially machetes, is dangerous. He emphasised that knives do not offer protection but rather cause harm.
Gaitens, aged 20, appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court where he admitted to carrying an offensive weapon in Barons Tower on August 11. The police were alerted to a disturbance at the tower block around 8.30pm and encountered Gaitens brandishing a large machete in a stairwell on the ninth floor. After a brief chase, Gaitens turned and threatened the pursuing officers with the blade before eventually dropping it when ordered to do so.
The court was informed that Gaitens was already on a supervised release order at the time of the incident, having previously received a 23-month sentence for various charges, including assaulting a man with a knife in Bellshill. Social workers assessed Gaitens as being at “maximum risk” of re-offending.
Despite his defence lawyer advocating for a non-custodial sentence due to Gaitens’ difficult upbringing, Sheriff Hamilton sentenced him to 12 months in custody. The sheriff remarked on the depressing nature of the case, highlighting Gaitens’ troubled background and history of weapon-related convictions.
In a poignant reflection on the case, Sheriff Hamilton noted the lack of success in previous interventions aimed at reforming Gaitens. The sheriff expressed the severity of the situation, attributing a significant sentence to Gaitens’ repeated involvement in violent offences involving weapons.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by knife crime and the need for effective intervention and support mechanisms to address the underlying issues leading individuals to carry weapons. It underscores the importance of community safety and the role of the justice system in holding offenders accountable while also working towards rehabilitation and prevention of further harm.