Neighbour's stab threat shame

Aaron James Andrew Brennan, 20, of Westmorland Avenue, Blackpool, admitted using threatening behaviour on May 30 towards his next door neighbour.

At the time he was subject to a suspended sentence for burgling a ring from his friend’s mum to pay off a drugs debt, Preston Crown Court was told.

Part of the incident was caught on CCTV, in which Brennan is heard to say: “Do you want stabbing?”

Brennan’s defence lawyer said there had been “an ongoing situation with the neighbour” and asked the judge to take into account references from his landlord and from another neighbour, stating he had been a good tenant and had not been disruptive.

Recorder Sally Hatfield QC said: “You approached your neighbour threatening to stab him.

“I accept you didn’t produce a knife but your behaviour was sufficiently threatening for him to feel he had to call the police.”

But she added: “This was out of character, affected by your depression and lack of judgement.”

She ruled it would be “unfair and unjust” to activate the prison sentence and imposed a rehabilitation activity alongside his unpaid work order.