A man who armed himself with several knives before challenging a man to a fight while in a pub beer garden has been locked up.

Joshua Watson became embroiled in a confrontation outside The Cleveland Hotel in Redcar before going inside and picking up several weapons and running back outside.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 24-year-old squared up to one man before a barmaid managed to step in between them and defuse the situation.

Anthony Pettengell, prosecuting, said: “He came flying down the stairs into the beer garden. He had several knives in his hands which he had taken from the bar area of pub.

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“He threatened one male and was heard to say – ‘you’re carrying, let’s carry this on outside'.

“One of the bar staff put herself in the way and she told him to drop the knives. She told him they were on security camera and he dropped the knives and ran away.”

Mr Pettengell said Watson was arrested several hours later by Cleveland Police.

The court heard he had a previous conviction for carrying a knife and was on a community order at the time of the latest offence.

The Northern Echo: Joshua WatsonJoshua Watson (Image: Cleveland Police)

Watson, of Ajax Way, South Bank, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to two charges of affray and one of possession of an offensive weapon following the confrontation at around 5pm on July 21 this year.

Andrew Turton, mitigating, said: “He regrets his behaviour on this night and has shown genuine remorse.

“He appears to probation officers to be an amiable young man who has some insight into his issues and behaviour.

The Northern Echo: The Cleveland Hotel, RedcarThe Cleveland Hotel, Redcar (Image: Google)

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“There was no coming together, it appears to be posturing and no intention to use then. It does him no credit that he was intoxicated that day.”

Recorder Simon Kealey KC told the defendant that a custodial sentence was inevitable as he already had a conviction for carrying a lock knife.

He said: “You were told several times to drop the knives and told you were on camera, on hearing that you dropped them and ran away.”

Watson was jailed for a total of 14 months for all offences, including breaching the terms of his community order.