A JUDGE said it was “extremely unfortunate” to see a man back before the courts after he armed himself with two knives and chased a “mocking” group away from his house.

Paul Hoskins, 58, reacted furiously after a group arrived outside his Harwich home to confront him over a previous incident.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard one of the group hurled a brick through his window.

Hoskins emerged, wielding a long knife in each hand, before chasing one of the group a short distance and throwing one of the blades.

He was arrested and admitted one count of affray and two counts of possession of a knife.

In a basis of plea, which was accepted by the prosecution, Hoskins said the knife he threw did not make contact with anyone.

The court heard Hoskins, who has 21 previous convictions for 57 offences, had remained out of trouble for 18 years.

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Caroline Milroy, mitigating, said in video footage of the incident, the sound of “laughing and jollity” was clear from the group who had “sought out” Hoskins.

She said: “The behaviour of the prosecution witnesses not only exacerbated this situation but seems to have caused Mr Hoskins to stop making his cup of tea and come out into the front garden.

“There’s a row which escalates quickly, he goes back into his kitchen and as a man in his late 50s feeling intimidated by the actions of these younger men, he makes the bad decision of taking knives outside to try and chase them off.”

Judge Patricia Lynch QC sentenced Hoskins, of Albemarle Street, Harwich, to 12 weeks imprisonment, suspended for six months.

She said: “Having seen the footage myself it seems to me what I hear is laughter and mocking, as opposed to fear and dread.

“That being so I have to take it seriously, only because of the current climate we live in at the moment.”

She added: “Mr Hoskins I’ve taken into account everything.

“It is extremely unfortunate and I’m sure hindsight is a brilliant thing but unfortunately you went out and you had those two knives so I’ve got to take that seriously.”