A man who made kill threats on a residential Carlisle road while showing off a knife tucked into his waistband has been given a suspended prison sentence.
The city’s crown court heard today how Linden Terrace resident Adam Earl was returning home just after 3pm on May 15.
He saw Hassan Khamis acting aggressively towards his brother outside the address.
Mr Earl informed 28-year-old Khamis he wanted him to leave. “Khamis has turned towards Mr Earl, lifted his T-shirt up and showed him a knife,” prosecutor Tariq Khawam told the court. “The knife was tucked into the defendant Mr Khamis’ waistband.”
Khamis said: “Call the police or someone die.”
The prosecutor added: “He did this while pointing at Mr Earl who believed that Mr Khamis would follow through with the threat. He describes Mr Khamis as bouncing around and being aggressive.”
Mr Earl said he felt as though he was in a stand-off with Khamis.
There was no indication that Khamis — a Sudanese national — had produced the knife, beyond what had already been displayed, said the prosecutor.
Police were called by a bystander who said she heard Khamis making the threats. As officers arrived, Khamis began laughing. He dropped the knife and officers took hold of him after producing a Taser.
Khamis alleged he was assaulted by two men in the street as he talked with a neighbour.
He spoke of retrieving the blade from his nearby home to protect himself and returning to find a group of men he believed wanted to beat him up.
Khamis did not intend to use the knife, he said, nor was it in his hand at any stage. He described shouting threats to ensure others at the scene did not attempt to attack him.
Khamis, latterly of Linden Terrace, admitted threatening a person with a blade.
During a crown court sentencing hearing today, Recorder Peter Atherton noted Khamis had come to the UK as a refugee and asylum seeker.
“It appears that when he committed this offence, other people had been showing hostility to him,” concluded the judge.
“He shouted out that he wanted somebody to call the police. The circumstances were then very difficult, both for Mr Khamis and the police.
“Mr Khamis committed the crime because he has a knife in his possession and made threats in a hostile environment. These personal circumstances, in my view, are important.”
A six-month jail term was suspended for 12 months. Khamis must also engage in rehabilitation work with the probation service for up to 15 days.
