Mansfield man brought out a knife when cops called

Officers were trying to establish what had happened when John Wheeldon brought out the small kitchen knife in the darkened living room, on July 7.

“The officer realised that it was a knife and immediately reacted and took it from him,” said prosecutor Sarah Sanderson.

“He was very lucky to walk away with just a small scratch.”

The court heard he had ten convictions from 21 offences, and was last in court for drink driving in 2007.

Wheeldon told officers: “I knew I should never have a knife but I never hurt her.”

Donna Pursglove, mitigating, said: “He said at the time “I am sorry, this shouldn’t have happened.” He says today, “I fully realise that no police officer should be faced with something like that.””

She said Wheeldon, who suffers from “serious mental health issues”, wasn’t waving the knife and was only holding it in his hand.

“It is clearly alcohol that has brought him here today,” she added.

Probation officer Mark Burton said: “He recognises the fear that his actions could have evoked.”

He said police had been called to the address “several times” over the past few years, but on this occasion his ex-partner had flirted with two of his friends.

The court heard the dad-of-five, who lost his job eight years ago, had been drinking up to a litre of vodka a day.

He was unable to attend his first court date because he was detoxing from alcohol.

Wheeldon, 44, of Muskham Court, admitted affray, when he appeared at Mansfield Magistratres Court, on Friday.

Although the offence passed the custody threshold, magistrates handed suspended an eight week sentence for 12 months.

He was ordered to attend ten rehabilitation days. He must pay £100 compensation to the officer and £85 costs and a government surcharge of £115.