A POLICE officer sitting in his patrol car was approached by a man who said he was going to kill someone.

Blackburn magistrates heard the officer got out and challenged Neil McKinney about what he had said and discovered he had a meat cleaver tucked in his waistband.

McKinney, 56, of Bradford Street, Accrington, pleaded guilty to possessing a bladed article in Plantation Street. He was made subject to a curfew between 8pm and 8am for 16 weeks and ordered to pay £85 costs and £95 victim surcharge.

Peter Kelly, prosecuting, said an officer was sitting in his car at a crime scene when he was approached by McKinney who said he was going to kill someone.

The officer approached McKinney and said he was going to be searched at which point he volunteered that he had a machete on him.

“He was detained and handcuffed and a large meat cleaver was recovered from his waistband,” said Mr Kelly.

He said McKinney later told police his intention was to scare the individual he had named and not to cause him injury.

Aftab Bakhat, defending, said his client had no previous convictions.