A CALDICOT man who threatened a takeaway customer with a knife after he thought he had thrown an egg at his friend has been given a 12-month community order.

Dylan Maund, aged 20, of Chepstow Road in Caldicot, previously pleaded guilty to possessing a bladed article on May 1. He had been on bail for the offence.

Newport Crown Court heard how the incident occurred at around 8.30pm outside Chef’s Special takeaway at Newport Road in Caldicot on October 6 last year.

The complainant, Lewis Gowen, had just arrived on his bike, with around a dozen people already hanging around outside the takeaway. Among those present was Maund.

The pair already knew each other and Maund challenged him about an incident relating to one of his friends previously being hit with an egg. Maund believed it was Mr Gowen who threw the egg, which he denied.

Maund then went into the takeaway and came back with a two-inch silver Stanley knife. He grabbed hold of Mr Gowen with his right hand and extended the blade.

Maund pointed the knife to Mr Gowen’s chest and neck, around five inches from him, and asked him to tell him “who threw it”. In fear, Mr Gowen admitted it was him and Maund let him go.

The court heard how Mr Gowen has avoided going out in Caldicot since the incident, fearing that he may bump into Maund who lives in the area.

Summing up, Recorder John Jenkins QC acknowledged that Maund had no previous convictions for violence but warned that the incident could have had more serious consequences.

He said: “You used the knife to intimidate Mr Gowen into the admission.

"There was potential for the knife to be used in a struggle, which could have escalated and resulted in someone being injured.

“It was stupid and foolhardy and could have had serious results.”

Maund was handed a 12-month community order. He will have to undertake 150 hours community service and pay £250 prosecution costs and a statutory surcharge of £60.