A MAN accused of arming himself with a machete and targeting the home of a Greenock couple with his face masked is set for trial before a jury at the sheriff court today.

The case against John Paul Hilferty, 28 - which began in November 2020 - is finally due to get underway months after the court was told that he was housebound following a serious leg injury.

The Crown's case against Hilferty has been held up on several occasions due to his condition, with his lawyer, Aidan Gallagher, telling a previous hearing that it was feared his leg would have to be amputated.

Hilferty is charged with acting aggressively towards a man and a woman at their home on Killearn Road in November 2020, having allegedly attended the address with his face covered and in possession of a machete.

It is claimed he struck a door and smashed windows on the property with the weapon.

Prosecutors claim that Hilferty was on two court bail orders at the time.

READ MORE: Trial set for machete threats accused who is housebound after serious injury

Separate allegations on the same indictment claim Hilferty drove an Audi A3 dangerously in February 2021 when he mounted a footpath in Port Glasgow and drove along it.

He is said to have driven at excessive speed and failed to stop when requested to do so by police officers.

Court papers state that he also breached the terms of a 7pm-7am curfew order on three separate occasions between February and April 2021.

He is further charged with repeatedly phoning a woman between April 16 and 19, 2021, before allegedly attending at a Belville Street flat, shouting, swearing, demanding money and making threats, placing a man and a woman in a state of fear and alarm.

A jury trial at Greenock Sheriff Court had been set to go ahead last October but proceedings were adjourned.