A MAN with an axe who confronted a couple in Raglan has been sentenced to carry out unpaid work.

Michael Jefferies, 37, of Sunnyvale, Raglan, was wearing his boxing shorts at the time of the incident, Newport Crown Court was told yesterday as the defendant was sentenced for the possession of a bladed article. He had pleaded guilty at a hearing on September 26.

The court heard that on June 14 of this year the defendant was woken by a couple outside his home at about midnight following the Raglan music festival.

Gareth James, prosecuting, told the court that the couple, a Mr and Mrs Watkins, were walking home from the festival after consuming alcohol when Mr Watkins had fallen or had lay down in the road. He said: “The defendant was on the road behind them in boxer shorts and carrying an axe, which Mr Watkins says was at chest level and Mrs Watkins says was at hand level. She remembers the defendant saying ‘you’ve woken me up, I have a baby in the house’. Mrs Watkins was fearful for her husband’s safety and began pushing him up the street.”

Mr James told the court the couple heard a metallic noise as if the axe had been “banged” against a lamppost. He told the court that Mrs Watkins was “shaken” by the incident and called police.

Mr James said police attended Jefferies’ house, but when he reached into a cupboard to get a glass an officer tasered him fearing he was reaching for the axe. Jefferies was then arrested.

Huw Wallace, defending, told the court that Jefferies uses the axe to chop wood for his stove. Judge Patrick Curran QC said the defendant’s judgment had been “distorted by drink”, adding: “This offence seems to be on the lower end of the scale. On the other hand it is a serious offence and justifies a community order.”

In addition to 150 hours of unpaid work, Jefferies was ordered to pay prosecution costs of £75.