A DRUG addict who threatened to kill his grandmother while waving around a meat cleaver has been detained for a year.

Bret Lee Hargreaves, 19, was staying at his grandmother Christina Stephens’ Blackburn home when the incident happened, Burnley Crown Court was told.

Hargreaves, who had his unemployment benefits paid into his grandmother’s bank account because he did not have his own, woke up Mrs Stephens at around 7.45am on June 1 demanding she immediately withdraw money for him.

Prosecuting Emma Keogh told the court Mrs Stephens said she would get the money once she had got up and got dressed.

The court was told Hargreaves persisted with his demands and left his grandmother with no choice but to throw him out of her home in Aberdeen Drive.

Ms Keogh said once in the garden, Hargreaves, of no fixed address, pulled out a meat cleaver and threatened to kill Mrs Stephens.

Ms Keogh said: “The argument continues in the garden and he turns to his grandmother and is heard to tell her ‘if you don’t get me the money I will kill you’ and other threats to that effect.”

The incident was witnessed by a neighbour who phoned the police.

When Hargreaves was arrested he denied all knowledge of the incident during police interview.

Defending, Zahra Baqri, said: “He was opening a tin with the meat cleaver because the tin opener was broken. He was asking for use of his grandmother’s car. The argument developed. He did not purposely pick up the knife.

“The incident was short. No damage or injury was caused.

“The underlying problem is his drug addiction to what is commonly referred to as spice.”

Hargreaves, who pleaded guilty to affray and possessing an offensive weapon, was sentenced to 12 months in a young offenders’ institution. A three-year restraining order also banned him from contact with his grandmother unless in the presence of another family. He is also banned from Aberdeen Drive.

Judge Beverley Lunt said: “Not only did you threaten her with a large knife, you also threatened to kill her.”