A HEAVILY drunk man was seen behaving in a threatening manner while carrying a sharpened screw driver late on New Year’s Eve, a court heard.

Kenneth Liam McGregor was among several males acting aggressively, exchanging gestures, outside a pizza takeaway on Cockton Hill Road, Bishop Auckland, at 11.30pm on December 31.

Durham Crown Court heard that a passing police officer spotted McGregor with an outstretched arm, holding what appeared to be a black-handled 6in knife, shouting to someone in the takeaway doorway.

He was chased and made off, unwittingly heading towards Bishop Auckland Police Station, from where other officers were making their way to the scene.

Peter Sabiston, prosecuting, said McGregor discarded something before being apprehended and detained, following a struggle.

Re-tracing his steps, police found the discarded ‘weapon’, a screw driver with a sharpened point.

McGregor later told police he had no memory of carrying it, having drunk up to 16 cans of lager and half-a-bottle of vodka at a friend’s house.

The court heard he has several previous offences of affray and battery, plus a robbery, on his record.

McGregor, 24, of Oakley Green, West Auckland, admitted possessing a sharply-pointed article in public.

David Lamb, for McGregor, said he made an early ‘guilty’ plea, has no previous offences for possessing a knife, or offensive weapon, and is now seeking to address his problem drinking.

But Judge Christopher Prince said he has spurned previous assistance offered by way of alcohol treatment programmes, as part of non-custodial sentences.

“Anyone going out with a knife or similar weapon, or found with a knife or similar items in such potentially dangerous circumstances, should expect to go to prison.”

Jailing him for eight months, Judge Prince also ordered forfeiture of the screw driver.