A MAN who threatened to “slice up” a housing officer at the Rhyl bed and breakfast in which he was residing has been jailed.

Ethan Keating, 26, of East Parade, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment at Mold Crown Court today (May 22).

He stood up from his seat in custody where he had been remanded, and repeatedly waved his arms and shook his head, during Judge Rhys Rowlands' sentencing remarks.

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Prosecuting, Oliver King told the court that Keating was being housed in council accommodation following his release from prison.

Keating had been moved from premises in Llandudno to the Sand Beach B&B on East Parade, Rhyl, due to “behaviour difficulties”.

On April 19, two housing officers visited Keating at Sand Beach, when he was told by them of arrangements to rehouse him again.

This led to Keating to become “agitated” and “aggressive”, making threats and blaming the housing staff for the loss of the benefits he had been in receipt of.

He aimed a kick at Nick Hargreaves, one of the housing officers, but missed.

Keating then followed him outside the B&B, saying that he “might as well slice him up”, and threatening to kill Mr Hargreaves and to “slash him up”.

Mr Hargreaves was then pulled onto the ground, causing him to bang his head, before being punched and spat at by Keating.

He took refuge in his car, as Keating went back into the B&B, before returning outside and telling Mr Hargreaves that he was carrying a blade.

Keating then walked towards Mr Hargreaves’ car with a package, which the housing officer “genuinely thought was a blade”.

After Keating was arrested, he issued threats to police officers saying that following his release from prison, Mr Hargreaves would be dead.

He told police: “It wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t discriminated against my anger issues.”

Keating passed Mr Hargreaves as police led him away, at which point he shouted: “I hope it’s worth it, you old c***,” before again threatening to kill him.

Mr Hargreaves, considerably older than Keating, sustained bruising and scratches to his upper left arm, and his left eye and back of head was left swollen from the attack.

He said his “entire body was sore” and that felt “very emotional and ashamed about what had happened to me” in the aftermath.

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Defending Keating, who had 19 previous convictions for 35 offences, Sarah Yates conceded that he had an “unenviable antecedent record” and that immediate custody was inevitable.

But she said that Keating was “extremely remorseful”, and said that he suffers from emotionally unstable personality disorder and anxiety.

Ms Yates said: “Sometimes, I don’t think he can control or help the way he behaves.

“A lot of that comes down to what happened when he was a child. He was taken into care very young, and had a chaotic lifestyle and upbringing.

“He struggled to cope in a lot of the placements he was put in.”

Sentencing, Judge Rowlands also ordered Keating to pay a statutory surcharge upon his release from prison.

Judge Rowlands told him: “This is a case where there was quite significant violence aimed at an older, more vulnerable man.

“It was a protracted incident, with repeated blows struck.

“You have a sorry history of offending. There is no alternative (to immediate custody) here.”