Sunderland man threatened to stab man in neck with ice pick

Paul Williams got involved in a dispute with the elderly man when he drove round a bin wagon in an aggressive manner after being momentarily held up.

The 51-year-old was arrested when he was found hiding in the attic of his mother’s home, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Ashleigh Leach, prosecuting, said the defendant launched into a tirade of threatening abuse when the other driver challenged him about his driving.

She said the defendant became impatient and mounted the kerb in his car to get around the bin lorry on Troutpool Close, Hartlepool.

“He challenged the defendant saying he had come around the corner like a ‘bat out of hell’,” she said. “The defendant has replied ‘f*** off you old ****’ as he got out of his car.”

Miss Leach said Williams became increasingly angry and abusive before pulling the ice pick out of his pocket.

“He proceeded to threaten him with the ice pick saying - ‘come on you old **** I will stick this in you f****** neck’,” she said.

Williams, now of Hylton Road, Sunderland, pleaded guilty to possession of a sharply pointed article in a public place following his arrest on October 23, 2024.

Michele Turner, mitigating, said her client has longstanding mental health issues which has required long term medical treatment.

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She said Williams was already serving a custodial sentence for other offences after it took more than a year for this offence to reach court.

Judge Aisha Wadoodi sentenced Williams to 18 months in custody.

She said: “You behaved in an appalling manner towards the victim, you swore at him repeatedly and threatened to stick, using your words, a f****** knife in his neck and carried on being abusive.

“When the police arrived, you were still volatile.”