A DRUNK wielded a knife at passers-by and screamed 'do you want me to slit your throat?' in a late-night tirade.

Stephen Thompson, of Wilsdon Way, Kidlington, appeared at Oxford Crown Court for his sentencing yesterday.

He had already admitted on August 2 possessing the bladed article as well as using threatening or abusive behaviour likely to cause harassment or distress.

The charges relate to an incident outside of the Black Bull Pub, Banbury Road, Kidlington, shortly after midnight on May 19 this year.

Thompson, 34 was standing at a nearby bus stop near to the pub having been drinking wine since that morning.

A number of witnesses saw him speaking to somebody on the phone and screaming abuse, acting in a highly animated way.

He was also seen carrying a knife, which witnesses described in differing accounts, from 6 to 12 inches in length.

When one witness got near to him, the court heard, he hurled abuse while carrying the knife, shouting at a woman and asking if she wanted him to slit her throat.

Police were called and arrived within minutes before arresting Thompson. They discovered two knives on his person but did not give a description of the length of the blade.

In mitigation, his defence team said that alcohol had played a large role in his offending. Thompson will be sentenced at Oxford Crown Court this morning.