A HOMELESS man has been jailed for threatening neighbours with a knife while he was staying with his girlfriend in Teignmouth during the lockdown.

Paul Barnard went into the landing of the house in Teignmouth after partner Kelly Yeo fled her flat and he menaced two other residents with the bread knife.

He raised the weapon towards one of them and said: ‘You know full well what I will do with it.;

He was disarmed after police were called.

The incident happened after Barnard had been drinking at Ms Yeo’s flat on the evening of May 9, in the middle of the lockdown.

The neighbours heard shouting and screaming before Ms Yeo sought refuge with them, Exeter Crown Court was told.

Barnard, aged 43, who is homeless and lives rough in Exeter, admitted affray and was jailed for 22 weeks by Judge Timothy Rose.

The judge imposed a restraining order banning any contact with Ms Yeo’s neighbours or returning to the house in Higher Brimley Road, Teignmouth, for three years.

He told him: ‘I hope you understand that when somebody is under the influence of alcohol, as you were, and in an emotional state as a result of a domestic row, and has a knife in his hand, it is an extremely serious situation indeed.

‘You did not use the knife to inflict injury or try to use it or lunge at anyone but you did brandish and shake up the neighbour and caused particular distress to his partner.’

Mr Ian Graham, prosecuting, said the residents of the next door flat heard raised voices coming from Ms Yeo’s home, followed by a scream.

She then sought help from the neighbours before Barnard followed her out with the bread knife in his hand, saying ‘you know full well what the **** I will do with it’.

Mr Barry White, defending, said Barnard had issues of homelessness, mental health and substance abuse that arose from traumatic events in his past.

He had done well in prison while on remand and had been studying English and maths in his cell. 

He remained in a relationship with Ms Yeo even though he told a probation officer that he considered it toxic and bad for both of them.