JAILED: Staff threatened by knife-wielding man banned from resource centre
A member of staff grabbed a chair to protect himself from a knife wielding intruder protesting at being banned from a Wolverhampton resource centre, a judge heard.
Samuel Gordon returned to the African Caribbean Community Initiative(ACCI) base in Waterloo Terrace, Whitmore Reans in a rage after being told by letter to stay away because of his previous behaviour.
The 37-year-old pulled out a lock knife, pointed the blade at Patrick Ellis and shouted: 'I am going to get you,' Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.
Mr Ellis ran into a nearby room and shut the door but later emerged clutching a chair, explained Mr Geoffrey Dann, prosecuting, who explained: "The defendant was ranting and raving over the ban."
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Police were called but Gordon left before they could reach the scene.
He reappeared an hour later and staff raised the alarm once more after he started berating them again.
This time the defendant was still on the premises when officers arrived and was arrested on August 5 last year.
Mr Oliver Woolhouse, defending, said Gordon suffered from a paranoid illness and added: "This caused him to over react so grossly, escalating the situation beyond all reason."
Both he and his mother had used the ACCI, that supports those affected by mental illness, and had been assisted with their long standing issues, said Mr Woolhouse who concluded: "It is unfortunate the relationship reached the situation it did."
Gordon, from Dunstall Lane, Dunstall, who had previous convictions for possession of a firearm and ammunition together with three offences of possession of a bladed article, admitted threatening behaviour with a knife and was sent to prison for two years three months.
Judge Nicholas Cartwright told him: "You deliberately thrust the lock knife towards Patrick Ellis saying 'I am going to get you.'
He protected himself with a chair while you were brandishing the knife. I have a responsibility to protect the public."
