AN "intoxicated" man brandished a knife during his "disgraceful and upsetting" intimidation of two complete strangers.

Carlisle Crown Court heard Ryan Bennett, 32, was at the centre of a "bizarre" incident outside a guest house on Woodhouse Road in Whitehaven.

Prosecutor Gerard Rogerson said this began at 10-15pm on October 18 when the couple who ran the business heard noises outside and banging on a door.

Bennett, the court heard, stated he "felt he was the owner" of the property. He damaged vehicles belonging to the man and his partner, and hurled a plant pot through a guest house window.

"Aggressive and abusive", he brandished a knife with a 10in blade. As the female went inside to call police she was shocked to receive vile racist abuse.

Police found Bennett in “something of a nonsensical state”. “They stated he looked under the influence of something, and could smell alcohol on his breath,” said Mr Rogerson.

Bennett produced the knife from the waistband of his trousers, surrendering himself and the blade only after he was “red-dotted” with an incapacitant device. In custody he behaved aggressively before giving a “bizarre” account in interview, accepting he didn’t know the victims and didn’t have any reason to be at their address.

He spoke of an imaginary grudge against the occupants, and Mr Rogerson said: “He was going there to put a knife through their neck and knee caps.

“He said it was just as well that the man had shut the door otherwise he would have got the knife.”

Bennett was sentenced at the crown court having admitted affray, racially aggravated public order, knife possession, criminal damage and violent behaviour in a police station.

Bennett, of Brakeside Gardens, Whitehaven, was said to have been “very ill” on the night having struggled over the years with mental health issues.

But Judge James Adkin noted a psychiatrist had concluded the defendant’s psychotic episodes were “precipitated” by his "voluntary intoxication".

Jailing Bennett for 14 months, Judge Adkin said: “It was a disgraceful and upsetting incident of you engaging in violent, intoxicated behaviour.”