Regular offender threatened to slit woman's throat

Glyn Leedell (39), of Victoria Road, Mexborough, threatened to kill the woman he met on a night out in June last year after she invited him and his partner to her home.

Leedell, who has 44 previous convictions for 66 offences, admitted one count of affray and was sentenced on Monday at Sheffield Crown Court.

Sentencing him, Judge Jeremy Richardson said: “I want to make it very clear to you that if you step out of line once - jail.

“Any more of this and there will be real trouble. This was a disgrace and you should be ashamed of yourself.”

Ms Laura Marshall, prosecuting, said the complainant had been out drinking with her partner and her friend on June 10.

Shortly after 12.30am, they went to a pub in Mexborough and began talking to Leedell and his partner.

The complainant invited the couple back to her house for drinks.

The woman was sat in the living room of the house, talking and drinking, and went into the kitchen with Leedell, Ms Marshall said.

Leedell asked her to come and stay with him for two weeks and she told him: “Don’t be daft, I’m not leaving my home”.

When she sat back in the living room she saw a knife on the sofa between her and Leedell.

She tried to discreetly pass the knife to her partner but when Leedell saw her do this he produced another knife from his trousers, which was estimated to be around five inches long, Ms Marshall added.

Leedell held the knife to her throat and said: “I’m going to f***ing kill you. I’m going to slit your throat.”

Leedell’s partner then threatened the complainant, who punched the guest in the face and told the couple to get out of her house.

Ms Marshall said the incident could have been significantly worse than it was.

Judge Richardson said Leedell came from a troubled background but he appeared to have begun tackling the problems he had.

He handed Leedell an 18-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Judge Richardson said Leedell was suffering as a result of something that happened to him many years ago.

“You can’t let that govern your life and you need to step away from it, otherwise you will lead a miserable life,” he said.

He ordered him to complete up to 35 days of rehabilitation, an alcohol treatment programme and 200 hours of unpaid work.

He also ordered him to attend the court again in three months so he could check on his progress.