Man charged with making threats with an axe set to appear before crown court

Eric Tate, 49, of South Burn Terrace in Shiney Row, is facing a string of charges that have been ordered to be heard before a crown court judge.

Tate appeared via video link at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court on May 4 charged with two separate counts of possessing an offensive weapon in public.

He is also charged with two two counts of harassment.

The charges allege that between April 12 and April 13 Tate caused a man and a woman to fear violence would be used against them and attended the addresses of the woman and man carrying an axe and made threats.

He is said to have left threatening voicemail messages for the woman and acted aggressively at a garage where the man was in attendance.

Tate was also charged with driving a Ford Fiesta on Windermere Crescent without insurance and while disqualified from driving on April 12.

The same day Tate is said to have damaged a different car to the value of £300 and then damaged the door of a property with intent and he has been charged with two counts of criminal damage.

Pleas on the charges were withheld and an application for bail by his solicitor Neil Hodgson was heard by the court.

He appeared at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court via video link from HMP Durham where he is currently on remand.

The case has been sent for trial at Newcastle Crown Court on June 1 and Tate was remanded in custody in the meantime.

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