A man turned up on the doorstep of a home armed with a knife, making threats to the male householder.

Reece Watson, who had been involved in an exchange of “aggressive and abusive” messages with the other man, went armed with the 12-in knife to his home in Brandon, near Durham, on May 22 this year.

Durham Crown Court heard that the defendant knocked at the door and, on it being answered, he pulled out the knife and asked why he had sent people to his house.

The other man denied being responsible for anyone having gone to the defendant’s home, before Watson lunged at him with the knife.

But the householder quickly managed to slam the door closed to ensure a stab wound was not inflicted, and kept it shut as the defendant slammed it several times with the knife, in full view of fearful neighbours and other bypassing members of the public.

Read more: Man alleged to have lunged with knife before door of house in County Durham was closed on him

Chris Baker, prosecuting, said Watson struck the man’s car parked outside the home, before disposing of the knife and walking from the scene.

But he was later arrested hiding behind a shed and the knife was recovered by police aided by sniffer dogs.

Watson told police he intended to stab the other man in the throat, claiming that he was responsible for making threats to harm his family.

The 30-year-old defendant, of Mount Pleasant, Stanley Crook, admitted making a threat to kill and possessing a bladed article in public.

Brian Mark, representing Watson, said he has remained in custody for almost five months since the incident.

Mr Mark said the defendant, “acted in a very inappropriate manner” to the perceived threats from the other man but is unlikely to behave in similar fashion again in future.

“He has said: ‘It’s finished’. It was a heated moment, but he doesn’t see it re-occurring.

“There was no actual harm done to the person who made the threats or he would be facing a very much more serious offence.

“Although this behaviour was entirely inappropriate, it was all over in a short manner and those circumstances are not likely to occur again.”

Read more: County Durham man involved in doorstep knife incident in Brandon

Judge James Adkin said he had read the background to the case and it is obvious the defendant was angered by threats he claimed were made against his family.

The judge said Watson displayed, “a huge loss of temper”, which he added was, “to some extent explained by the threats made to family members.”

Imposing a 30-month prison sentence, Judge Adkin also put in place a ten-year restraining order, prohibiting Watson from contacting the victim or from going to his home address.

He added that he would recommend that the conditions of Watson’s licence on his release midway through the sentence should “mirror the terms” of the restraining order.

Read next: 

County Durham man jailed for knife threats and assaulting his mother

Billingham man jailed for threatening neighbour with a knife

Man jailed for knifepoint threats on father's County Durham doorstep

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