A teenager who brandished a knife in the street and threatened to kill a policeman on Christmas Day is waiting to learn his fate today.
The PC feared for his safety and thought he might be stabbed on the night of December 25 last year, Teesside Crown Court heard.
But a judge said he wanted to learn more about the mental health problems of the young knifeman, 19-year-old Luke David, before sentencing him for his first offence.
David repeatedly shouted racial abuse at the officer called to reports of violence and damage on Fairfax Court, Hemlington, Middlesbrough.
The officer heard him shouting and saw the teenager running from his home on the street at about 7pm.
David was brandishing a knife with a six to eight-inch blade, prosecutor Emma Atkinson told Teesside Crown Court today.
When David saw the PC he became racially abusive and said: “I know you... Come near me I’m going to got kill you.”
The policeman told him to put down the knife but he refused, said “come on”, said he would stab the PC if he came near him and repeated the racial abuse and threats to kill the officer.
He jumped over a wall and ran towards Earls Court Road with the knife in hand, the court was told.
The officer pursued him and found him on Enderby Gardens where he made the death threat again and hit the knife against a wall, breaking it, before he was detained.
The victim later said he regularly encountered abuse and animosity in his job, but he genuinely believed David might have carried out his threat to stab him.
He said he feared for his and others’ safety and felt there was a high risk of someone being hurt.
In his police interview, David said: “I just want to say I was spiked and I’m saying nothing else.”
He later admitted affray and possession of a bladed article, and could face a prison sentence.
He had a reprimand, warning and caution on his record, but no previous convictions.
Alex Bousfield, defending, said David apologised to the officer and shook his hand the day after the incident.
He said David seemed to have long-standing issues with anxiety and depression.
The judge, Recorder Jamie Hill QC, said: “The references I’ve read, the certificates and articles show a very different Luke David to the Luke David that was offending on the night of December 25.”
He told David, who appeared upset during the hearing: “I’m not going to pass sentence today.
“I’m not giving you any promises as to the outcome. What you’ve done well and truly crosses the custody threshold.
“Set against that, you’ve not been to court before and I’ve read a lot about you now.
“What gives me cause for concern is the mental health problems you appear to have been suffering with over the last months.
“I want to know a bit more about that before I decide what the sentence is.
“I make it plain, there may be no option but to impose a custodial sentence. I’m not making that final decision now.”
David was bailed until sentencing on April 17.
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