A 17-YEAR-OLD armed himself with a knife after being threatened by an older man "with a reputation", Darlington Youth Court heard yesterday.

The youth, who had been drinking, threw the knife away when police approached him.

Stephen Andrews, mitigating, said the youth had been approached by an older man in North Lodge Park on November 25. Mr Andrews said he knew the older man's name, and knew he had a "history of violence". "He is older, bigger, and has a reputation," Mr Andrews said.

The older man had a knife and challenged the 17-year-old. The youth feared for his safety and ran home. But instead of staying there, he went into the kitchen, took a black-handled bread knife, and returned to the park.

"His philosophy was, 'If he approaches me again, I can pull the knife and frighten him'," Mr Andrews said, before adding his client had no intention of using the knife.

Leslie Abbott, magistrates' chairman, warned the 17-year-old of the danger of knives. "It's not long ago a lad got drunk and killed somebody with a knife. You don't want to go down the same road."

The 17-year-old, who pleaded guilty to carrying a knife, was given an eight-month supervision order, with 13 hours of community service.

Earlier this month, Martyn Michael Ford, 19, was found guilty of murdering Michael Kenneth Gatenby after an all-day party in Brunel Way. Mr Gatenby was stabbed five times.