A 36-YEAR-OLD Stourbridge man who went out armed with a knife because he was disappointed with the way police dealt with his complaints about receiving threatening calls has been spared jail.

Judge John Warner at Wolverhampton Crown Court told Christopher Wyld: "That is no excuse for taking the law into your own hands. This was very unusual behaviour from a man like you."

He said Wyld, a man of previously unblemished character, had "perceived" he had been in a situation where threats had been made and as a result he reported the matter to police.

But he then opted to take out the knife, the court was told, because he was unhappy with the way he felt police dealt with the matter.

Wyld, of Fletcher Street, Lye, admitted being in possession of a bladed article in a public place and was given a six-month jail sentence suspended for two years.

He was further placed on Supervision for 12 months by the Judge and ordered to carry out 120 hours unpaid work in the community.

Alka Brigue, prosecuting, said after making his complaints Wyld had told police he was going to kill someone with the knife.

He was then seen with the weapon in Stourbridge High Street when, before his arrest, he had maintained, "I am going to get him."

Diljit Bachada, defending, said Wyld complained he had received a number of threatening messages but police took the view they were not threats and no action was taken against a third person.

Wyld accepts he then became extremely angry and behaved badly, she added. He had not been brandishing the knife and when he saw a friend he handed over the weapon.

Miss Bachada said: "What he did was a cry for help. He wanted to tell police he felt he was in a serious situation and he was concerned for his family. There was no potential harm to the third person."