The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A court has heard that a Spalding man waved a kitchen knife from side to side in a ‘slashing motion’ during a dispute in the street with his former partner and her mother.
David Briggs (30), of Winsover Road, admitted possessing the knife in a public place when he appeared at Boston Magistrates Court.
The court was told that Briggs’ ‘volatile’ relationship had ended two weeks before the incident on August 4 and he had gone to his former partner’s Third Avenue home around 5.30pm.
Marie Stace, prosecuting, said Briggs took the knife from a backpack and was ‘waving it from side to side in a slashing motion and appeared to be threatening his former partner’s mother who had gone into her home and got a bottle to defend herself.
Ms Stace said Briggs ran away and threw the knife into a hedge, but police attended and he was arrested.
She said he told officers he had gone there to find out why he was getting all the blame for the break up and had taken the knife because he was afraid members of her family could be there.
Mitigating, Anita Toal said Briggs recognised the seriousness of his position but he had long-standing mental health issues and was sectioned three days after the incident.
“Paranoia led him to take the knife with him for protection,” she said, “but his sole intention was to talk to his ex partner and they did, for about five minutes.”
She added he was now on medication and getting the support he needed.
Briggs was given a four- month prison sentence suspended for a year and ordered to carry out 20 days’ rehabilitation and pay £235 in costs and charges.
A 12-month restraining order relating to his former partner was also issued
