A YOUNG drug abuser caused a disturbance after waking up "in a mood", while staying at his sister's home.

Twenty-year-old Joseph Stevenson "went nuts", shouting and screaming, leaving his sister Lorraine's two young children distressed in the early hours of October 27 last year.

Durham Crown Court heard that he refused to leave and would not allow his sister or her children to go, when she protested at his behaviour.

She threatened to ring police, making him angrier, and he smashed a mirror and a child's toy.

Julie Clemitson, prosecuting, said police were alerted and, on arrival, an officer was greeted by Stevenson making stabbing motions with a 5in kitchen knife, from his coat pocket.

Miss Clemitson said the officer warned him he would use his CS gas spray if he did not drop the knife.

Stevenson eventually threw the knife away, but when he claimed to have another, the officer sprayed him, before he was arrested.

The court heard Stevenson had previous offences of resisting police and assaulting an officer on his record.

Stevenson, of Sixth Street, Horden, came before the court in February and, after admitting criminal damage and affray, was given a 12-month community order, including probation supervision with a drug rehabilitation element.

But, after breaching the order by twice failing to turn up for probation appointments, he was called back to the court in last month.

He failed to attend that hearing and was produced from the cells yesterday after being arrested.

Ron Mitchell, mitigating, urged Judge Richard Lowden to give his client "a last chance".

"He was depressed at the time, as it was the anniversary of his father's death," said Mr Mitchell, explaining one of the missed appointments.

But Judge Lowden told Stevenson: "This was a serious offence of affray following a disturbance at your sister's home, and you then threatened a police officer with a knife.

"I don't think you're in any frame of mind to complete any court order at the moment."

He imposed a six-month young offenders' institution sentence, with 14 days added for his failure to turn up at court.