Hartlepool social club committee man threatened customer with knife and axe in 'disgraceful episode'

Lee Bown, 47, was on the committee of Ye Olde Durhams club in St Aidan’s Street in November last year when he had been out with his wife celebrating his birthday and their wedding anniversary.

Teesside Crown Court heard that by 6pm he had had ‘far too much’ to drink and argued with his wife because he wanted to go home but she wanted to stay.

Prosecutor Paul Newcombe described how Bown left but returned a short while later with a five-inch serrated steak knife.

"He tapped on one of the interior windows that looks out onto the bar shouting to his wife, seemingly a threat, ‘you’d better come out’,” said Mr Newcombe.

A customer tried to usher Bown away but he took exception and lunged at the man with knife.

The bar was not very busy but Mr Newcombe added: “A barmaid on duty said she was frightened at what she saw and frightened for the safety of others.

"But the defendant returned a short while later with another weapon, this time a hand axe.

"He shouted at [the same customer] ‘I know where you live’ and raising the axe in his left hand lunged at [the victim] several times.”

Eventually Bown, of Stockton Rd, Hartlepool, ‘saw sense’ and left.

He later pleaded guilty to possession of a blade and having an offensive weapon on November 10 last year.

The court heard Bown, a warehouse worker, is in full-time employment, and Andrew Turton, defending, said his wife is still supportive of him.

And although he has a very bad record he had kept out of trouble for almost 15 years.

Addressing Bown, the Recorder of Middlesbrough Judge Paul Watson said: “What a disgraceful episode; an appalling business.

"It must have been a terrifying incident, not just for [the victim] but as we have heard for other witnesses as well; people who were there outside while you were carrying on in this appalling manner.”

Bown was given 10 months prison suspended for 18 months and 180 hours of unpaid work in the community.

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