A MAUCHLINE woman has been jailed after being caught with two pairs of scissors in Kilmarnock town centre.

Nicola Biggley pleaded guilty to a pair of charges in relation to offensive weapon possession when she appeared at the town's Sheriff Court on Tuesday, August 19.

The incident took place around the Kilmarnock Cross area on May 21 this year, the court was told.

Biggley, 41, found herself in the area after falling out with her partner, who she had been living with in Mauchline, and being asked to leave his home.

Her defence solicitor later explained that she had returned to what was her home town in an effort to find support.

Procurator fiscal depute Chris Munro explained to the court that Biggley was spotted in the day in question by a mother and her son. The Mauchline woman was sitting on a bench close to the town's Burns Mall.

As the pair approached Biggley, described in court papers as a resident at HMP Stirling, she called out the mother by named and told her, "I want to speak to you".

Around this time, the 41-year-old reached into her bag where she pulled out a pair of scissors which she pointed towards the woman - who made off from the area and phoned the police to report the matter.

Officers later found Biggley standing around the doorway of the nearby mall.

Police moved to search her and upon doing so they recovered two pairs of scissors from her bag - the pair earlier seen by the witness as well as another separate pair.

(Image: Street View)

Following the search, Biggley was arrested and taken to Kilmarnock Police Station.

She first appeared in court the following day and has been remanded in custody since then.

Defending, Biggley's solicitor stated that she was "struggling quite badly" at the time of the offence with both mental health issues and a drug addiction.

She was in Kilmarnock seeking help from the community after being told to leave her partner's Mauchline home following an earlier altercation. The woman she shouted before producing the scissors was known to her, though not someone she considered a friend.

The solicitor then asked for background reports to be obtained before sentencing "to see if there is an alternative to custody".

He said that although Biggley had previous convictions, none had been in relation to weapons possession.

He revealed her last conviction was in 2021, for an offence dating back to 2020.

"She has shown she can refrain from offending," he added.

"She was struggling to find help in the community. She is now feeling far better in the prison setting and has been told by prison staff there will be assistance in the community upon her release."

It was added that her relationship "still exists" and that her partner had been visiting Biggley in prison and could be a "supportive aspect to her life" if she was released.

Passing sentence, Sheriff Colin Bissett opted against calling for background reports in relation to the Mauchline woman.

He said: “I have listened carefully to the submissions made on your behalf and the fact there might be an alternative to custody.

“Notwithstanding the difficulty you were having at the time, you were found in possession of an offensive weapon in Kilmarnock town centre.

“I am afraid that my view on matters is that anyone found with a weapon in Kilmarnock town centre has to go to custody.”

Biggley was sentenced to a total of 20 months in prison, which was backdated to her initial remand on May 22 this year.