A churchgoer who was spared jail for stabbing a local thief who had stolen his bike is facing jail after he was again caught with a knife.

Melvin Chuaga was put on a suspended sentence after he meted out instant justice on the man who had pinched his wheels.

But the 23-year-old now faces a mandatory prison sentence having been found hiding behind a car with a large sheath knife.

In October 2016 a judge told him 'I am giving you a chance,' when he imposed an 18 month jail term suspended for two years.

Chuaga, who had not been in trouble before, first attacked burly former boxer Scott Cadder with an extendable baton as he tried to recover his bike.

The diminutive attacker then produced a knife from his waistband and plunged it into the 31-year-old six footer's leg in the fracas outside Milverton Court in Park North.

As Mr Cadder, who needed three stitches in the wound, looked down to see blood seeping from his thigh his attacker said 'Yes, I just stabbed you.'

And when he was arrested in the town centre two days later Chuaga was found to be armed with a sharpened screwdriver.

After a fellow worshipper at the Biblelife Fellowship church gave character evidence telling how the incident was out of character, he was spared jail.

But on Monday April 30 this year he was arrested on Groundwell Road in possession of another large knife.

Chuaga, of Redhouse Gardens, pleaded guilty to the offence which carries a mandatory six months as it is his second conviction for having a bladed article.

Rob Ross, defending, said while both that offence and breaching the suspended sentence should mean jail, it can be avoided if a judge thinks it unjust.

Although his probation officer had provided a progress report he asked for further material to be produced before he is sentenced.

Recorder Michael Vere-Hodge QC said "A sentencer needs to look at a wider picture than simply focussing on the progress he has made on the suspended sentence order, which of course is important.

"The progress report doesn't seal with why he had such a large knife in public again, and hiding behind a car which sounds fairly bizarre behaviour."

He adjourned the case to Friday September 14 for a full presentence report and released him on bail until then.

Ironically last month Scott Cadder was jailed for seven months after he too was caught in possession of a knife.