A MAN from Prestatyn who approached another person’s house wearing a balaclava and carrying a knife has been spared jail.

Charlie Harris, 26, of Ffordd Pantycelyn, was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, at Mold Crown Court today (July 17).

He had previously admitted charges of threatening behaviour and of possession of a bladed article in public.

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Prosecuting, Karl Scholz told the court that, shortly after 3am on February 2, Harris arrived at the Prestatyn home of Ben McHugh, on Llys Bran.

Mr McHugh was at the property with two children and his partner at the time.

His partner suddenly heard a “loud bang”, so went to the front door to ask who was there.

Harris repeatedly told her to “get Ben to the door”, and said: “Ben will explain it all to you when it’s happened”.

Asked by her “if it was Charlie there,” he said “no”.

Mr McHugh then came downstairs, but was told by his partner not to open the door to Harris.

Harris then said to him: “Come outside… I want to talk to you… open the door… phone the police and you know exactly what’s going happen to you.

“You’ve signed your own death warrant… I wanted to talk to you man to man but you couldn’t do it… f****** p****.”

He then moved away from the door, and left after shouting again at Mr McHugh, before being arrested following police being called.

In a statement, Mr McHugh’s partner said the incident left her “really scared” and “contemplating moving home”.

She added: “I’m now scared to stay home alone with the children, or even with Ben. I should not be scared to spend the night in my own home.”

Defending Harris, who had no previous convictions, Alexa Carrier said he is “disgusted with himself” and “very remorseful” for his actions, which were “completely out of character”.

His dependency on alcohol, she suggested, was a contributory factor, given Harris was intoxicated during the incident.

Sentencing, Judge Rhys Rowlands told Harris he had avoided immediate custody “by the skin of his teeth”, having committed a “very, very serious offence”.

“Such a man with a knife is a very frightening prospect indeed,” Judge Rowlands told him.

“It must have been a terrifying prospect for the householders.”

Harris will also complete 25 days’ rehabilitation activity requirements, and abide by a six-month electronically monitored curfew, ordering him to stay at home between 10pm and 7am.

“There’s no way this young man is going to be on the streets of Prestatyn in the early hours,” Judge Rowlands added.

Harris was also made subject to a five-year restraining order, preventing him from contacting or approaching Mr McHugh and his partner, or entering Llys Bran, in that time.

The knife he was carrying and mask he was wearing were ordered to be forfeited and destroyed, while Harris will also pay a £187 statutory surcharge.