POLICE officers called to a domestic incident were threatened with a knife.

Blackburn magistrates heard initially John Almond was having a reasonable conversation with the officers but then went to the kitchen and returned brandishing a knife which he pointed towards them.

Both officers made victim statements in which they told of “anxiety levels at maximum”, struggling to sleep and one had nightmares about a knife coming towards her.

Almond, 56, of Wordsworth Drive, Great Harwood, pleaded guilty to two charges of assaulting an emergency worker. He was made subject to a community order for 12 months with 15 days rehabilitation activity requirement and a curfew for eight weeks between 7 pm and 7 am. He was ordered to pay £85 costs and £90 victim surcharge.

Passing sentence the chairman of the magistrates said seeing Almond coming towards them with a knife must have been terrifying for the officers.

“We accept it was an impulsive act, done in drink, and have taken into account your obvious shame and remorse,” she said.

Andy Robinson, prosecuting, said officers were called to Almond’s home address at 9.15 pm. They had spoken to Almond and were speaking to a female when the defendant went into the kitchen and returned with the knife which he pointed towards the officers.

He ignored two requests to put the knife down and kept advancing towards them.

“The officers eventually had to deploy their pepper spray before arresting him,” said Mr Robinson.

Gareth Price, defending, said the pre-sentence report prepared by the probation service contained a number of positive comments.

“The author says they have never seen an interviewee as “remorseful, shocked and shamed by their behaviour” and that is reflected by his demeanour in court this morning,” said Mr Price.

He said the incident happened in March at the beginning of lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.#

“His partner works in the NHS and he was concerned about her and his own health issues,” said Mr Price. “On this day he drank to excess and behaved in a way which was totally out of character.”