A MAN made a threatening phone call in which he told a woman he was going to go to a pub with knives and a gun, saying he, “would harm people there”.

Durham Crown Court was told the recipient of the call, on March 13, was concerned for the welfare of people at the pub, the Golden Lion, at Sedgefield, and so contacted the police.

Christopher Bevan, prosecuting, said officers went to an address where they thought they could find the caller, Brian Fairhurst, and he was arrested.

But as he was being placed in handcuffs he told the officer he was going to, “smash your f***ing face in”, and head butted him to the right side of the face, just under the eye.

He was restrained and as he was being placed in the police van he tried to repeat the head butt and kicked the officer in the leg.

Items were seized from the property, including a pool ball wrapped in a tea towel and a sock.

Fairhurst admitted charges of malicious communication, possessing an offensive weapon and assault by beating of an emergency worker.

The court heard the 43-year-old defendant, of Bickersteth Close, Stockton, has only three previous convictions on his record, but all since 2021.

But it includes a 16-month prison sentence, suspended for 24 months, in March last year, for stalking a woman who had ended a relationship with him.

Read more: Stalker watched ex on CCTV and was found drunk in her bed

Mr Bevan said by committing the latest offences it put the defendant in breach of the suspended sentence.

Elizabeth Muir, for the defendant, said he did not attend the pub where he had said he would harm people, and the threat was considered, “an extraordinary measure, which was, perhaps, a cry for help.”

She said according to his probation offender manager, Fairhurst was doing, “extremely well” on the community aspect of the suspended sentence and she said he seemed to have, “gone off the rails” due to difficulties in his previous relationship combined with mental health issues.

Judge Ray Singh said having read the offender manager’s updated report, stating Fairhurst did complete all the requirements of his previous community order, he was of the view it would be “unjust” to activate the suspended sentence.

He imposed a six-month community order to include a four-month 7pm to 7am electronically-monitored home curfew, with a £100 costs order.

But he warned Fairhurst that any further breach, or failure to observe the curfew, would lead to activation of the suspended sentence.

He added: “I’m giving you one final and last opportunity.”

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