Brierfield man jailed for drunken hammer threat to partner’s ex (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Brierfield man jailed for drunken hammer threat to partner’s ex

9:41am Tuesday 20th December 2011 in Brierfield

A DRUNK who went round to his girlfriend’s ex-husband’s works and threatened him with a hammer and a knife, is behind bars.

Burnley Crown Court heard how ‘possessed’ Lee Kershaw, 35, brought terror to the workforce, after turning up at an industrial unit in Colne.

He threatened to kill painter Darren Stephen and then to stab him as the victim’s colleagues tried to stop the frightening melee.

Kershaw finally left, still armed with the knife and was later arrested at his then home in Brierfield.

The defendant, of Earnshaw Road, Bacup, admitted affray, possessing an offensive weapon, possessing a blade and common assault.

He was locked up for 27 months.

Sarah Statham, prosecuting, said the victim had been talking to his former wife Natalie on the phone and heard Kershaw shouting: “I’m going to kill you. I’m going to stab you with a knife.”

Not long after, his ex and Kershaw turned up at his workplace and Mrs Stephen told her former husband the defendant was fuming and wanted to see him outside.

Mr Stephen didn’t want to be embarrassed in front of his workmates, went outside and was confronted by Kershaw, brandishing a hammer and running towards him, looking possessed.

Miss Statham said the victim ran away and his colleagues tried to stop the defendant getting at him.

Martin Hackett, for Kershaw, said: “He was drinking heavily at the time. He lost his temper in a very extreme manner and he acted in a very extreme manner.”