Curfew for drunk man who had knuckleduster

CCTV operators captured footage of William Threlfall staggering along King Street, in the early hours of June 8, lashing out at “street furniture”, the Wigan and Leigh court was told.

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Prosecutor Tess Kenyon said police were called to the scene, on the advice of the camera staff, and found Threlfall asleep in a nightclub doorway shortly afterwards.

After a quick search of the 28-year-old, who had clearly been drinking, the weapon was found in his jeans pocket and he was immediately arrested.

Threlfall, of Atherton Road, Hindley Green, who pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon in a public place, was given the curfew as part of a 12-month community order.

Martin Jones, defending, said his client did not dispute the prosecution case, as he quite simply could not remember the events in question.

But Threlfall accepted, after examining CCTV, that he had been recorded walking along King Street at the time, the court heard.

Mr Jones said it was clear that the defendant had not been hostile towards any individual, though he had been seen taking out his frustration on inanimate objects.

Threlfall’s only previous court appearance had been for drink-driving, in 2015.