Sunderland knifeman spared jail for 'ranting and raving' in street after reacting to Facebook post

Andrew Sloan was seen carrying a kitchen knife in Silksworth, Sunderland, on March 22, 2019.

Newcastle Crown Court was told the 47-year-old told two female witnesses, who were in the area visiting a relative, he was going to "strike or slash someone".

Prosecutor Michael Bosomworth told the court: "They were going to visit a relative at Bilston Court, Silksworth.

"They arrived around 8pm and found the defendant in the street. He was ranting and raving.

"He approached the car and they, or at least one of them, noticed he had a kitchen knife in his hand.

"She describes it had an eight-inch blade and a total length of 12 to 14 inches."

The court heard Sloan went into a house then re-emerged, bare chested before being dragged back in by someone inside.

Sloan told police he had gone outside in reaction to a Facebook message about someone "looking for children in the area" and admitted he had been drinking all day.

He initially denied having a knife and claimed he had been carrying his phone.

One of the women who saw what happened said in a statement: "I found the whole incident shocking, I was terrified at the time.

"I was scared, it affected me visiting friends and family that lived nearby.

"It was a shocking and terrifying experience."

Sloan, of Hightree Close, Hall Farm, Sunderland, pleaded guilty to having a knife in public and also admitted to a public order offence.

Judge Stephen Earl sentenced him to 30 weeks imprisonment, but suspended for 18 months and imposed programme and rehabilitation requirements.

The court heard Sloan has serious medical problems and had been in no trouble for over a decade.

Jeremy Barton, defending, told the court: "This has been a learning curve for this defendant. He has had a terrible time of life recently.

"He is moving on with his life.

"He is very grateful for the opportunity not to go to prison and to deal with his issues."

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