A KNIFEMAN claimed he had not threatened friends after a heavy drinking session – but was caught out when one of his victims dialled 999 and allowed police operators to listen in.

Sean Fell, 27, was heard shouting he was going to ‘make pigeon pie’ towards one of his fellow drinkers, Ronnie Partridge, after the atmosphere turned nasty at a house party in Waterfoot, Burnley Crown Court was told.

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But when he was arrested by police Fell claimed it was Mr Partridge who had ‘flipped’ and threw his brother John Roche and girlfriend Danielle Boyarin out of his house, the court heard.

Stephen Parker, prosecuting, said the four had collected disability living allowance benefits and spent it on ‘copious amounts of alcohol’ before returning to Mr Partridge’s home.

Later Miss Boyarin fell asleep and Mr Roche began to tap her on the leg to rouse her. But Fell took exception and started to square up to Mr Roche before Mr Partridge stepped in as peacemaker.

Fell then picked up a small bread knife and began making a number of threats to those present, the court heard.

Mr Parker said Danielle Boyarin had called the police and left the call open for 25 minutes. During the course of that time background noise could be picked up from the defendant.

The comments included ‘I will split you’ and ‘I am going to make pigeon pie’, the court was told.

Fell, of Bridgefield Street, Hapton, admitted affray and was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, with probation supervision. He had served the equivalent of a 12-month term on remand.

Laura Barbour, defending, said a period of enforced sobriety, while behind bars, had enabled her client to address his alcohol problems.

He could either live with his mother in the Manchester area or move in with his father in Burnley.

Passing sentence, Judge Simon Newell said: “You have a history of being drunk and disorderly and public disorder offences. You have also got a history of carrying knives in the street.”

The judge said he hoped that the time Fell had spent on remand would have enabled him to reflect on what might happen in future if he repeated his offending.

Fell was cleared of the murder of 17-year-old Declan Eastwood, at a house party in Haslingden in August 2011, after the victim was stabbed up to 12 times. Fell was found not guilty after he said he was acting in self-defence.