A MAN who threatened to kill his brother over an inheritance row turned up at his work with a carving knife.

Burnley Crown Court heard Michael Thomas Reed’s relationship with his brother William Reed, who works at the opticians inside the Burnley Asda, had turned sour after the death of their mother.

Prosecuting, Peter Barr said William had been left a major stake in his mother’s Darwen home ahead of Michael and his other brother and sister.

Two days before the death threat and knife incident, which happened on August 12, the court heard Michael was evicted from the family home. And there was a further row over the care of Michael’s four cats, which he described in court as his ‘children’, that were still living at the house in Darwen.

The court heard that Michael, 51, of Birch Hall Avenue, Darwen ‘snapped’ and told his sister he was going to kill William.

Mr Barr said: “William Reed received a text message from his sister at 8.50am saying ‘Our Mick is on his way to your shop. He says he’s going to kill you. I don’t know whether he’s going to kill you. I don’t know whether he’s taken a knife. He’s drunk’.”

The court heard By the time Michael arrived William had already left so the defendant threatened staff and demanded to know where his brother was.

Mr Barr said: “He was seen to have his hand inside his coat. A police officer assumed he had his knife in there. He produced the knife. The officer told him to put it down. He didn’t. The officer used his PAVA spray on the defendant. Perhaps because he was wearing glasses it didn’t have the desired affect. The officer used his baton to strike the defendant’s hand and the knife fell to the floor.”

Michael pleaded guilty to possessing a bladed article, making threats to kill and affray.

Defending Phillip Holden said his client was in poor health and had not made an imposing figure in the store.

Mr Holden said: “He really just snapped. He doesn’t try to say his actions were justified in any way.”

Judge Jonathan Gibson sentenced Michael to nine months imprisonment, but suspended it for 18 months. He also told him to complete a 25-day rehabilitation activity requirement and a nine-month alcohol treatment programme.A nine-month restraining order was imposed banning Michael from going within 20m of William.