A MAN who held a knife to a woman’s throat while demanding cash has been jailed for 12 months.

John Donaldson had already been given £2 by his victim before returning to her North Yorkshire address insisting that she hand over more money.

The 30-year-old, who was subject to a criminal behaviour order, also demanded drugs from a neighbour of the woman when he came out of his home to see what was happening.

Teesside Crown Court heard how Donaldson threatened people with the knife, leaving children terrified, before demanding more cash off the woman on May 13 this year.

Victoria Lamballe, prosecuting, said the defendant attended the woman’s house to pick up the cash but he returned 30 minutes later and asked to use her phone but picked up a kitchen knife instead.

“He approached another man’s house hoping to obtain some Pregabalin tablets,” she said. “The man’s daughter was present and she found the defendant’s presence upsetting and when he was unable to get some tablets he returned to the woman’s property.

“She describes seeing him waving the knife around, by this time she had been joined by a pregnant neighbour, the defendant again pressed her to give him money and in the face of her refusal, the defendant held the knife to her throat.”

Miss Lamballe said Donaldson them walked away from the woman’s home before trying to get money off another man but he had little recollection of the incident due to his consumption of drink and drugs.

Donaldson, of Station Road, Brompton, near Northallerton, pleaded guilty to assault by beating, breach of criminal behaviour order and possession of a bladed article.

Duncan McReddie, in mitigation, said his client apologised for his behaviour the following day and urged the judge to pass a suspended sentence to help sort out his behaviour.

Recorder Andrew Dallas ignored his lawyer's plea and sentenced Donaldson to 12 months in custody.

He said: “This was a protracted incident where you behaved repeatedly in threatening, unpleasant anti-social behaviour, at time to time in the presence of children.

“They all knew you and were exceptionally tolerant of your behaviour given the circumstances.”

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