AN alcoholic who drank 12 double brandies before brandishing knives in a town centre pub has been spared jail.

Victor Jeffries, from Cinnamon Brow, was found to be carrying five kitchen knives in the Barley Mow after an altercation with staff and customers.

But on Friday, March 9, he was spared an immediate prison sentence at Liverpool Crown Court.

The court heard that Jeffries, of Blackledge Close, was in the Old Market Place pub at around 5.15pm on Wednesday, February 7, when he began rowing with bar staff, alleging that his glass had been removed before he had finished his drink.

He became aggressive, taking two knives from inside his coat and ‘waving them about’.

Jeffries then walked out of the pub, and was followed by staff and customers who attempted to get him to surrender the weapons.

One pub worker was able to tackle Jeffries from behind, with other members of the public standing on his wrists in order to make him drop the knives.

The 58-year-old was discovered to be in possession of five knives after he was arrested by police.

Jeffries, who appeared in court via a video link to HMP Altcourse, told officers that he had bought a pack of kitchen knives as he intended to harm himself with them.

Described as 'extremely inebriated' at the time of the incident, Jeffries had consumed six pints of beer and 12 double brandies before the altercation.

The court heard that he is an alcoholic who uses drinking to 'self-medicate' mental health problems, while years of abusing alcohol have caused him brain damage.

Her honour judge Rachel Smith handed Jeffries - who had admitted five counts of possession of an offensive weapon in a public place at a previous hearing - a nine month prison sentence suspended for 18 months.

Jeffries - who has two previous conviction for possession of knives dating back to 1994 and 1998 - was also ordered to undergo a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 30 days and to serve a curfew of 7pm to 7am for the period of the suspended sentence.

Sentencing, judge Smith said: "Cases involving knives are always serious - you were heavily intoxicated and presented a risk to yourself and to a number of other people.

"Their actions were brave because your level of intoxication was such that you were clearly at risk of deliberately or unintentionally harming someone with the knives.

"But you have a number of psychological difficulties and you had bought the knives intending to kill yourself or harm yourself.

"These are circumstances in which the court could consider it to be unjust to impose an immediate custodial sentence.

"The protection of the public would be greater served by your rehabilitation, which is more likely to be brought about by imposing a suspended sentence.

"If you fail to comply with this order or commit any further offences you will be brought back to this court and imprisoned."