Sunderland man pleads guilty to carrying an axe and using threatening behaviour
A Sunderland man who took an axe into his street with intent to alarm other householders could be jailed.
Jonothan Foster, 51, carried the offensive weapon into Lewis Crescent, Hendon, on Monday, July 7.
Magistrates in South Tyneside heard it was the second time he had committed an offence involving an offensive weapon.
Robin Ford, defending, conceded it meant Foster faced a minimum of six months behind bars for his latest criminal act.
Foster appeared at the court to plead guilty to a charge of possession of an offensive weapon in public.
He also admitted using threatening behaviour with intent to cause the occupants of Lewis Crescent harassment, alarm or distress.
Prosecutor Marcus Blakelock did not address the court, but Mr Ford said: “This is the defendant’s second offence with a weapon.
“It’s a starting point of at least six months. The result is an all-options pre-sentence report.”
Magistrates adjourned the case for an all-options report, telling Foster they needed to know more about his reasons for offending before he could be sentenced.
They granted him conditional bail to be sentenced at the same court on Thursday, September 25.
His conditions are not to enter a named property on Lewis Crescent or interfere with prosecution witnesses.