Teen threatened to '˜slice up' Wigan traders

Thomas Kiely, 18, became aggressive to a market stallholder while trying to obtain a refund, a court was told.

And when he was approached by a security officer he threatened to come back and “slice them up”, according to prosecutors.

Kiely, of no fixed address, was committed for sentence to Bolton Crown Court, after admitting to offences of affray and possession of a blade article in a public place. He also had pleaded guilty to breaching a suspended sentence order.

The court heard Kiely said that “you don’t know who you’re dealing with” as he became increasing agitated with those around him.

He was seen to have a knife in the waistband of his pants and was detained by the security officer and arrested when police arrived a short time later.

Just 12 days before the market hall incident he had been convicted of weapons offences and given a suspended prison sentence.

The court heard that Kiely, who suffers from mental health problems, had contacted police to tell them he was carrying a knife, apparently in a bid to get himself arrested.

And when police arrived he was also found to be in possession of a hammer and he was detained.

Kiely faced a mandatory six-month prison sentence as a result of his two consecutive knife convictions.

But sentence was deferred for six months by Recorder of Bolton, Judge Timothy Clayson, to give Kiely the opportunity to seek assistance with his mental health difficulties.

The teenager, who has previously been homeless due to family difficulties and had also lived briefly in Warner Street, Rusholme, was bailed to his mother’s address in Wigan, which was not given in court.

The judge, who also ordered pre-sentence reports before the next hearing on October 1, said he wanted to see how the defendant would respond over the next six months.