Man was throwing stones at women in Clitheroe town centre

Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard that during his arrest, Matthew Horsfall assaulted a police officer.

Horsfall, 41, of Shaw Bridge Street, Clitheroe, pleaded guilty to possession of a blade in a public place, assaulting an emergency worker, possession of cocaine and being drunk and disorderly.

He was made subject to a community order for 18 months with 20 days of rehabilitation activity requirements and a 120-day alcohol abstinence monitoring tag.

He was ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £114 victim surcharge.

Jade Roberts, prosecuting, said police were called to Wellgate, Clitheroe, following a number of reports of a man throwing stones at women.

When they arrived, Horsfall, who was clearly drunk, was shouting at a female.

When they went to arrest him, he swatted the officers away, and there was a struggle.

"He ended up on the floor and tried to pull an officer over with him," said Miss Roberts.

"He was eventually arrested and searched, and the blade and a small quantity of cocaine were found on him."

Damien Pickup, mitigating, said his client had only one previous conviction and that had been 17 years ago.

"He wholeheartedly apologises for his behaviour on this day," said Mr Pickup.

"It has been a profound wake-up call for him."

Mr Pickup said his client accepted he had been to the pub and had drunk to excess.

"When he got home he found his flat had been trashed by a man who was linked to his ex-partner," said Mr Pickup.

"In the process of tidying up, he put the broken knife blade in his pocket.

"He realised the male was outside and he went to confront him. The knife was in his pocket the whole time."

Mr Pickup said since the incident in June, his client had bought a burger van, and he is taking positive steps to put this behind him.