Jail for man who waved knife at headteacher

Leeds Crown Court heard yesterday that David Harness had consumed a bottle of sherry before he went to St Mary's Church of England Primary School in Hunslet, Leeds, to collect a child on March 18.

It was clear to staff he was in drink from the way he was muttering and the smell. He was told he was in no fit state to take the youngster and could not do so.

Barbara Lennon, prosecuting, told the court Harness was leaving but the headteacher Mark Ford, believing a phone had gone missing, wanted to speak to him about that.

It was when he tried to do so that Harness produced the Stanley knife.

Harness, 30 of Royal Court, Hunslet, admitted affray and possessing an offensive weapon.

The court was told he was on bail at the time of those offences for another affray committed in September last year when he threatened a woman with a knife, for which he was jailed in April.

Sentencing Harness, Judge Kerry Macgill said instead of answering the headteacher's inquiries at the school he produced the knife, exposed the blade and waved it about at him.

"It is the kind of stupid, reckless, drunken behaviour that adds to the daily toll of teachers."

James Lake, for Harness, said he had an addictive personality, having started with cannabis he had moved on to heroin and after finally confronting that addiction had turned to alcohol.

"He was quite clearly at the time of this an alcoholic having drunk a bottle of sherry on the morning of this offence. He readily admits on this particular day it was a gross error of judgment on his part but I hope you will accept he was not someone who attended that school with the intention of threatening the staff there."