Knifeman made threats to police

A 32-year-old man took a kitchen knife into the street and threatened to "fillet like a fish" police officers who tried to arrest him.

During a hearing at Leicester Crown Court, Shafiq Ahmed admitted possessing an offensive weapon and using threatening words and behaviour.

The court was told the incident happened following an argument between Ahmed and twoacquaintances.

Sentencing, Judge Sylvia De Bertodano said: "Every weapon taken on to the street, whatever the intention, is a very real threat to public safety.

"It's likely to escalate a violent situation."

John Hallissey, prosecuting, told the court that on May 12, two acquaintances of the defendant turned up at his home at 4.30am.

Ahmed's mother let them into the house in Lansdowne Drive, Loughborough, to see her son, who was asleep in an attic bedroom.

There was an argument and the defendant chased the two men from his home, while armed with a large stainless steel chef's kitchen knife.

He went 100 yards down the road threatening to kill them, while the two men shouted abuse back.

They took refuge in a phone box and called the police.

Ahmed was back in his bedroom when officers with a Taser arrived to arrest him.

He refused to come out and swore at them, threatening to kill them and their families.

Ahmed told the officers: "I will burn your house down and torture you.

"I will fillet you like a fish."

When he eventually came out, police found a roll of nine steel kitchen knives, which he had formerly legitimately used in the restaurant trade.

Paul Prior, mitigating, said the two men used a "spurious excuse" about picking up a phone charger, in the middle of the night, to get into the defendant's house to cause trouble.

He was angry at being woken up and regretted taking the knife into the street, but did not intend causing harm.

Mr Prior said: "Although the language he used to the police was unpleasant, it was due to drunken stupidity."

Ahmed received an eight-month jail sentence, suspended for 12 months.

He also was placed on a three-month 7pm to 7am curfew and ordered to do 180 hours of unpaid work.

Judge De Bertodano said she accepted Ahmed was "in many ways perfectly respectable".