A MAN said to be disliked by some members of his local community was today (Friday August 29) jailed following violence in the street where he lived.

Police were called to reports of a disturbance in Burnopfield, near Stanley, County Durham, on May 16.

Durham Crown Court heard that several people witnessed the “volatile verbal argument” involving Craig Alan Storm and another man, at about 8.45pm in Garesfield Gardens.

Shaun Dryden, prosecuting, said two female passers-by “cowered” behind a car, petrified at the ongoing dispute.

A woman, thought to be Storm’s girlfriend, was holding an Akita dog on a lead, which he then took from her, appearing to try to set it onto his opponent.

Mr Dryden said the other man ran from the scene, and Storm went back to his nearby house, emerging with a long-bladed knife.

The other man came out of his house with a broom handle and, although the argument continued, no further violence appeared to take place.

When police arrived, Storm discarded the knife in a recycling bin, but it was recovered by the officers.

Mr Dryden said Storm struggled with police on arrest and then repeatedly head butted a cage when placed in the patrol vehicle.

As he refused to co-operate with procedures on arrival at the police station, Storm was taken by handcuff to a holding cell.

But as he was being placed into the cell, Storm lunged forward and butted an officer to the left side of the forehead.

The officer’s head was thrown backwards, banging off the cell door, causing soreness and swelling.

Storm, 24, subsequently admitted assaulting a police officer, affray and possessing a knife in public.

The court heard the convictions put him in breach of two conditional discharges and a suspended prison sentence, all imposed for offences of violence.

Adam Scott, for Storm, said he found himself in a “difficult position” in the community after receiving the suspended sentence for an attack on a local man, who suffered a broken jaw.

“The injured man was of the opinion that he should have been immediately imprisoned, and, therefore, Mr Storm was ‘persona non grata’ in Burnopfield.”

Mr Scott added that it was, “perhaps somewhat surprising” that Storm was the only person arrested over the latest incident.

Imposing consecutive prison sentences, totalling two years and 11 months, Judge Christopher Prince told Storm: “I regard taking a knife out into the street when in drink as a particular dangerous set of circumstances.”