Children playing in a Fife street were forced to flee, screaming for their safety, after a man pulled a large knife from his jogging bottoms, a court heard.
John Campbell, 41, admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner outside his home in Leslie’s Paterson Park on July 21 and causing children alarm by being in possession of the offensive weapon without a reasonable excuse.
Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard local children were left terrified when Campbell produced the blade in broad daylight, with mums and dads having to usher children inside out of harm’s way.
No-one was injured but Campbell has been placed on an eight-month tagging order and a community payback order with 18 months supervision for his offences.
Depute fiscal Alistair McDermid said Campbell had been drinking alcohol with others at an address in Paterson Park.
At around 5pm, he put the kitchen knife down his jogging bottoms and went outside.
“The accused was seen in the garden, pulling the knife out of his jogging bottom, and at the time, there were children playing in the street.
“The accused then exited the garden out into the street with the knife in his hand. Adults saw the accused do this and ushered the children playing outside back into their gardens.
“The children were all seen to be screaming when they saw him with the knife.”
A woman who had been in Campbell’s group phoned police, while the accused was challenged to put the knife down. He went back inside.
Sheriff Gilchrist sentenced Campbell to a community payback order with 18 months’ supervision, and imposed an eight-month restriction of liberty order preventing him from leaving his property from 7pm to 7am.
Campbell will also have to attend drug and alcohol counselling and mental health support services as directed by his supervising officer.
