TWO youths narrowly escaped custodial sentences after going armed in response to a cry for help from a woman involved in a domestic dispute.

Matthew Thomas Ainsworth and James Paul Densham took an imitation hand gun and a knife “for protection”, when they went to the flat in Leadgate, near Consett.

Durham Crown Court heard they knew a woman who lived at the premises, in South Cross Street.

Shaun Dryden, prosecuting, said she was involved in a heated dispute with her partner, who was “behaving aggressively” after returning from watching the Sunderland versus Newcastle United derby match on October 27 last year.

She rang a friend of Ainsworth’s father and they decided to go to her aid.

On arrival at the premises they were involved in confrontations with the woman’s partner and his friends, which eventually led Ainsworth and Densham to lock themselves in the flat for protection.

Mr Dryden said police were summoned and all those involved were spoken to, each making claims and counter claims as to what had taken place.

Ainsworth was accused of threatening the woman’s partner with a knife and Densham was alleged to have produced a pistol at one stage.

Mr Dryden said the replica self-loading pistol was recovered from under a baby’s cot.

It was loaded with pellets which were capable of being discharged, and while they would not perforate the skin, they could cause a serious eye injury.

Both made admissions over their respective roles in the incident, saying the hand gun was taken “for protection” and as a “warning” to the other man.

Densham said he had it hidden in his trousers, while Ainsworth had a knife to threaten the other man, but both claimed they did not want to use the weapons.

Ainsworth also admitted hiding the gun under the cot prior to the arrival of police.

Both Ainsworth, 21, and 20-year-old Densham, each of Lumley Drive, Consett, admitted possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause a fear of violence.

Ainsworth also admitted possessing a knife in public.

The court heard they were each of previous good character and both are in employment.

Joe Hedworth, for Densham, said he now realises it was a “foolish” response to the “alarming” call from the woman, and accepts they should have immediately phoned the police.

Mr Hedworth added that the replica hand gun was only briefly produced from the waist band, and only pointed downwards towards the floor.

Thomas Laffey, for Ainsworth, said his “foolish actions” that night were out of a “misguided loyalty” to the woman, but he accepts they were “wholly inappropriate”.

Judge Neil Clark said both came close to having their respective first taste of custody.

“If that hand gun had any extra power the minimum sentence I could have given you would have been five years each,” he said.

Both were given eight-month custodial sentences, suspended for two years, during which they must perform 200 hours’ unpaid work and pay £300 costs each.