Paul Conway, 44, flipped after his daughter was targeted at a flat in the town in March this year.

As reported in the Gazette, a jury cleared Conway of a knife assault on Johnstone woman Claire Ferguson, but convicted him of arming himself with the weapon and using it to scare two girls – aged 15 and 13.

And when he returned to the dock this week, he was locked up for more than two years for his antics.

Paisley Sheriff Court earlier heard he went to Ms Ferguson’s home armed with a knife after his young teenage daughter was the victim of a sick prank.

Sheriff Derek Livingston was told that Conway’s stepdaughter was targeted on March 1 this year.

Conway’s trial heard from a 15 year-old witness, who told the jury the Conway’s stepdaughter had been drunk before two others put substances including glue and chewing gum in her hair.

It is understood the kids also put hair removal cream and bleach onto the young girl’s hair and set it alight while she was unconscious through drink.

The witness said Ms Ferguson cut the chewing gum out and washed the young girl’s hair, and that the young girl spent the night in the house, instead of returning to her own home in the town.

She added: “She went and asked Ms Ferguson to cut the chewing gum out her hair.” And she said that, the following day, she saw Ms Ferguson with a slashed face and Conway next to her, brandishing a huge knife.

She said: “I remember seeing her with a tissue on her face and Paul Conway with the knife in his right hand.

“She was crying, really upset and scared.” The schoolgirl said the incident took place on March 2 this year, and she told the court that Conway had the knife on him in a lane off Kilbarchan Road.

She said that, when she saw Conway and the woman together, her and her pals ran over to see them.

She added that, when they got to within a few feet of the pair, Conway started waving the knife about and making threats.

She explained: “He asked who did it to her hair and that we should warn them.

“I’m still not sure who did it.

“He said I should tell them to watch out as he’s going to come and get them.

“He said sorry to Claire as well.

“He had the knife down at his side – he kind of lifted it up a bit to point towards me and my pals.

“He said, ‘you better tell me who it is and where they live’.” The young girl, who has just started fifth year at school, said Ms Ferguson’s face was slashed and that she could see blood.

One of the young girl’s pals, a 15-year-old boy, told the court Ms Ferguson said Conway had slashed her.

He said: “He was waving the knife about when he was shouting.

“He kept saying, ‘what happened to my daughter’s hair?’ “Claire had a slash on her face and it was as if she’d been stabbed in the neck.

“She said he’d put it into her neck as well.” Conway denied assaulting Ms Ferguson by holding a knife at her throat, pushing her onto a couch, slashing her, grabbing her by the hair and dragging her along the street.

Prosecutors claimed the alleged assault left Ms Ferguson badly hurt and scarred for life but a jury found the charge against him not proven.

He admitted being in possession of the knife, and was found guilty of placing two girls, aged 15 and 13, in a state of fear or alarm.

He was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing and, when he returned to the dock this week, he was jailed for 27 months.