A MAN who chased his father round a car on the drive of their home brandishing a knife has been given a prison sentence.
But because of the time Jake Dyson had spent on remand in jail and then on bail with an electronic tag, he was told he had already served the sentence.
Dyson, 25, of Middletown Lane, Sambourne, near Studley, denied charges including making a threat to kill his father Stuart Dyson, assaulting him, and causing damage.
But after Warwick Crown Court heard neither of his parents wanted to give evidence against him, a plea of guilty to an alternative offence of using threatening words and behaviour was accepted.
Prosecutor Lee Marklew said Mr Dyson had said in a statement his son had been suffering from mental health problems prior to December last year.
In the weeks before the incident on December 15 his behaviour had become increasingly volatile.
The build-up had begun when Dyson returned to the family’s home with a friend to stay, which led to an argument between him and his father over him not discussing the matter in advance.
The following morning Mr Dyson saw the friend stayed anyway, and when Dyson went out that morning, there was ‘an atmosphere between them.’
He returned with his friend that evening and became abusive towards his father.
Mr Marklow said: “Jake Dyson had had about 10 pints of alcohol, and the matter escalated. He was in drink, as indeed was his father.
“As he entered the house, his father grabbed him round the throat and threw him to the floor.”
Dyson then went inside the house and picked up a knife, and was described by his mother as being out of control.
“He chased his father round a car on the drive with the knife in his hand.
“The matter came to a conclusion when the defendant, running between cars, drove off in one of the family’s vehicles.”
When he was arrested the following day, Dyson gave ‘broadly the same account’ of what had happened – but claimed his father was lying about him chasing him with a knife.
Of their reluctance to give evidence on the more serious charges, Mr Marklew added: “His parents are very concerned that he is not placed in greater peril than he ought to be.”
Recorder Charles Falk said since the incident Dyson had been given a community order for damaging property belonging to his ex-partner and a conditional discharge for a later offence of damaging property belonging to his father.
He had spent 38 days in custody following his arrest and then the equivalent of a further 42 days while on bail subject to an electronically-tagged curfew.
Recorder Falk indicated: “I am going to pass an immediate prison sentence, but one he has served.
“This was a shocking and worrying piece of behaviour. All families have arguments, but there are ways and means of dealing with those arguments.
“You were heavily under the influence of alcohol, and the problem is that if, when in drink, you pick up a knife, your judgement is completely impaired.
“Chasing someone round a car with a knife when your judgement is impaired with alcohol is a serious thing to do.”
