Man who reportedly 'chased after people' in Hartlepool street with kitchen knife is sentenced at Teesside Crown Court

David Conniff, 53, caused alarm when he brandished the kitchen knife in Wharton Street, Hartlepool, on October 6 this year.

Teesside Crown Court he had been “wound up” and reacted after drinking too much and being plagued by teenagers hammering on the front door.

Jonathan Harley, prosecuting, said Conniff was seen coming out of a house holding a blue handled kitchen knife said to be 15cm to 20cm long.

"He was described as chasing people in the street,” said Mr Harley.

He said Conniff shouted at one man, who attended the house, to leave or he would stab him.

Police arrived and retrieved the knife from the top of a bin.

Conniff, of Henderson Grove, Hartlepool, admitted a charge of having an article with a blade or point in public.

But he was spared prison after the judge said Conniff acted in a “mock threatening manner” and did not intend to hurt anyone.

Stephen Constantine, mitigating, said some of the people Conniff mixed with were bad influences.

"He has learned a very salutary lesson by his actions on that night,” said Mr Constantine.

Imposing an 18-month community order, Judge Howard Crowson said: “When you went into the street it was because of a lot of provocation.

"Someone had wound you up. I don’t think your’e the sort of person who is going to hurt anybody.

"But if you do it again you would have to go to prison.”

The knife, which was seized by the police, will be destroyed.