Court: Man pulled knife on his project worker

A homeless man pulled a knife out on a ‘terrified’ female worker at an addiction counselling centre, Lincoln Crown Court was told.
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In Court

Mark Griffiths was in an agitated state when he arrived for an appointment with his project worker at the Addaction Centre in Newland, Lincoln, and was taken to an annexe off the main waiting area.

Abigail Joyce, prosecuting, said Griffiths was aggressive towards the female worker as he ranted about having no money.

“He was saying the Job Centre wouldn’t help him and housing wouldn’t help him,” she told the court.

“ He said he hadn’t eaten for a week. He said that if it wasn’t sorted he was going to kill someone.”

“He made that reference three times. After he said it, he reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out a knife,” she added.

The female worker feared for her safety but and he put the knife away.

David Eager, defending, said Griffiths did not actually threaten the woman with the knife.

“He has little memory of his meeting with her,” he told the court.

“When he was approached by the police he handed over the knife immediately,” he added.

Griffiths, 23, of no fixed address, admitted possession of a bladed article in a public place as a result of the incident on 14th October.

He also admitted being in breach of a 12-week suspended jail sentence imposed just seven days earlier for an offence of acquiring criminal property.

He was jailed for a total of 21 months.

Sentencing him on Tuesday, Judge Sean Morris told Griffiths his actions had left his victim ‘terrified’.

“You were in such a state that it must have been absolutely terrifying for your victim,” he said.

She was not to know whether you would use the knife or not.”

“You were clearly affected by something and were threatening to kill people,” the judge added.

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