Newport father jailed for threatening son with knife

A Newport man has been jailed for nine months after threatening to knife his own son before brandishing a blade at him in the street.

Brian Armstrong, 55, of Campion Close, was in a drunken state when he sent his son a message vowing to “stab him up” on Saturday, August 30.

Cardiff Crown Court heard how Armstrong later saw his son driving through the Pill area of Newport on Commercial Road. He followed the vehicle before kicking it and holding up a knife in front of the victim.

Police were called and Armstrong was arrested nearby shortly after.

He admitted possession of a bladed article in public, affray and sending a communication threatening death or serious harm.

The court heard Armstrong has 29 previous convictions for 36 offences, including public disorder, being drunk and disorderly and breaching court orders.

Defence barrister William Bebb told the court: “He has been remanded in custody since September. This is the longest period he has ever spent in custody which is perhaps striking considering the amount of convictions he has. He has been assessed as presenting a low risk of reoffending. I would ask the court to take into account his guilty pleas and remorse – he is devastated to be in this situation. These were impulsive and unsophisticated offences. There were no injuries and it’s the blade that elevates matters. Issues with alcohol have plagued him.”

Judge Shomon Khan told Armstrong: “It’s clear that there’s a poor relationship between your adult children and your ex-partner. On August 30, you sent your son messages that included a threat to ‘stab him up’. You later kicked his car and held a knife so that he could see it. It’s also clear that you were intoxicated at the time. You are 55 years old and it’s sad to see that there’s a long-standing difficulty with alcohol.”

Armstrong will serve half of his nine-month sentence in custody before being released on licence. Time already spent in custody will count towards his sentence.