Hartlepool man spotted naked in the street carrying 'murderous' knife

Naked Calvin Arnett, 24, was seen in Arkley Crescent by a startled passer-by while carrying what was described as a “murderous” weapon, York Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor Johnny Walker said Arnett stormed out of the martial home in just his boxer shorts following a row with his wife just before Christmas last year.

He went to his mother’s where he took the boxer shorts off, grabbed a knife and walked out into the street naked.

The passer-by called police and Arnett was arrested.

He admitted possessing a blade but denied using it to threaten anyone. He was cleared of the latter charge by a jury at Teesside Crown Court.

Arnett, of Oakley Gardens, Hartlepool, was convicted of another charge of assaulting a police officer by “kicking out” in the police van following his arrest.

He appeared for sentence for knife possession and assaulting an emergency worker at York Crown Court.

The court heard that Arnett threw the knife down when he saw the passer-by and made no threats with the blade.

Mr Walker said there was bound to be “some degree of stress” caused to the passer-by given that he was “presented with a naked man in the street late at night, for no rhyme or reason”.

Andrew Turton, for Arnett, said he had mental-health problems and “other issues he is now dealing with”, but had no previous convictions.

Judge Sean Morris said he made a “complete idiot of himself” and described the incident - at around 11.30pm on December 18 last year - as “bizarre”.

But he told Arnett: “I’m satisfied that you don’t pose any dangers to the public. This was a highly-charged, emotional situation.

“You’ve had your own troubles in the past and you’ve had (mental-health) conditions to wrestle with.

“But this doesn’t excuse you going out into the street with a murderous weapon. That member of the public would have been terrified… seeing a man naked in the street with a knife.”

Arnett’s eight-month prison term suspended for two years and the judge ordered him to complete a 20-day rehabilitation course.