Drunken knifeman sent to jail (From The Northern Echo)

Drunken knifeman sent to jail

8:00am Wednesday 8th February 2012 in Darlington By Neil Hunter

A DRUNKEN knifeman who threatened two friends in a takeaway with an ornamental knife has been jailed for two years.

Jon Moylan swore at Steven Halford and Mark Trotter after overhearing their Newcastle accents in a takeaway in Darlington in October.

He pulled out the knife from the leg of his trousers and held it above his head 2ft from Mr Halford, Teesside Crown Court was told.

Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, told Judge Peter Fox that Moylan, 34, then pointed it at his victim’s throat and swore at them again.

Fearing they were about to be injured, Mr Halford grabbed Moylan’s wrist and Mr Trotter punched him in the face.

Moylan dropped the knife, which had a 12in blade, and the pair held him inside the Hot Plate takeaway, in Victoria Road, until police arrived.

Moylan told officers he had found the weapon a short time earlier and was going to weigh it in for scrap.

Judge Fox said he did not believe the excuse and told Moylan: “The knife was plainly lethal and you were carrying it around in public at night. Let’s not mess around with words – they must have been terrified.

“Thankfully, they had courage on their sides and they went for you. Not everyone would. In fact, many would advise against such a course.

“But they acted promptly, bravely seized the knife and you, so you were caught redhanded.”

The court heard that Moylan, of Morpeth Avenue, Darlington, has convictions for carrying knives dating from 2003.

In July 2010, he was arrested for assaulting his partner, whose hand and thigh were cut with a knife.

Moylan admitted possessing an offensive weapon and using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour on October 22.

His barrister, Mark Styles, urged the judge to consider a suspended sentence and said Moylan would benefit from staying away from drink.

The judge said: “You have got a problem with alcohol and you also seem to have a problem with knives – and it’s the public’s problem as well.”