A MAN who swung an eight-inch bread knife near another man after drinking 24 cans of lager and whiskey has avoided jail.

Samuel Cooper, 20, of Langford Village, near Bicester, waved the knife in an “erratic manner” near a man who had allegedly threatened his mother, Oxford Crown Court heard.

The incident happened in Pioneer Square, Bicester, on June 3 between 7.30pm and 8pm.

The court heard yesterday that Cooper, of Merlin Way, had been drinking that afternoon at Pingle Field in Bicester.

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A witness said Cooper had seen the man, Robert Benfield, in the field that afternoon and threatened to “cut a C into his face”.

In the evening, Cooper said he took the orange bread knife from his home into town and “flipped out” when he saw Mr Benfield.

One witness said Cooper approached Mr Benfield, who was with a group of friends, and began shouting at them.

Someone called the police, and by the time officers arrived Cooper had hidden the knife in a friend’s handbag.

But when police began to question him, he went over and admitted it was his.

He admitted possessing a pointed or bladed article in a public place. In mitigation the court heard he claimed he had not raised it in a threatening manner.

Defence barrister Claire Fraser said Cooper was normally of good character, but in February this year lost two friends to suicide shortly after losing his job.

Ms Fraser said: “He didn’t receive any counselling, he tried to deal with it himself, then committed this offence in June.

“To have consumed 24 cans of alcohol and whiskey is not something he or his family are proud of.

“Mr Cooper said Mr Benfield provoked him by making threats towards his mother.”

Judge Gordon Risius handed Cooper an eight-month custodial sentence, suspended for two years, during which he must keep in touch with a supervising officer.

Judge Risius gave Cooper a curfew between 8pm and 8am on Friday and Saturday nights, and ordered him to pay £500 costs in the next six months.

He also ordered him to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work in the next year.

He finished by telling Cooper: “Whatever happens, don’t get yourself into such a state again or someone will get seriously hurt.”


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