A MAN has been warned he is ‘almost inevitably’ going to prison after admitting to attacking a man with a weapon.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Daniel Howard Rawsthorne, 31, of Rothwell Avenue, Accrington, assaulted Steven Kershaw in Barnes Avenue, Rawtenstall, on November 1.

Defending, Philip Holden said his client had been in a road traffic collision shortly before the incident and was involved in an argument with Mr Kershaw.

But he said his client maintains the incident was not pre-meditated.

Mr Holden said: “The defendant and the complainant don’t know each other. The knife, the defendant says, was attached to his keyring. It wasn’t something that was in his car that he was intending to use.

“The prosecution will allege that he was upset by the fact he was involved in a road traffic collision, all be it a minor one.

“There was some sort of discussion or argument leading up to him doing what he did.”

During the 15-minute hearing Rawsthorne spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth, nationality and enter his guilty pleas to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possessing with a blade or point in a public place.

The case was adjourned until later this month for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.

But Judge Beverley Lunt warned Rawsthorne, who was described in court as being ‘lightly convicted’, that he shouldn’t read too much into that and the most likely outcome would be an immediate term of imprisonment.

Judge Lunt said: “I will adjourn this case until January 29 which will be the date you will be sentenced. I will order a pre-sentence report.

“Don’t read anything into the fact I am ordering a report. This is a serious matter. It looks to me as though a sentence of imprisonment is inevitable. But that will ultimately be decided at a later date.”

Rawsthorne was given unconditional bail until his next court appearance.