JAILED: Serial criminal threatened pregnant friend with knife

Caroline Evans treated Paul Summers 'like a brother' and allowed the 42-year-old to stay at her flat on his release from prison, a judge heard.

He was sleeping on the sofa of the property in West Bromwich where she lived with her partner Sean Jones, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

But two days later, on December 18, Summers slapped and punched Mr Jones who he claimed owed him £180, revealed Miss Fiona Cortese, prosecuting.

The defendant was also abusive towards Miss Evans who got money from a cash point to settle the disputed debt, it was said.

When she returned to the flat, Summers demanded the couple's mobile phones to stop them ringing the police and picked up an eight-inch blade kitchen knife, added the prosecutor, who continued: "He held it at shoulder height and ordered her to give him jewellery."

The defendant saw the fear in her face as she gave him six rings and this allegedly prompted him to cut his forearm and put the blade to his own throat, the court heard. The defendant, who had been drinking, was persuaded to drop the weapon and police were called.

Miss Cortese concluded: "Miss Evans had known him for most of her life and regarded him like a brother. She had been glad to see him when he arrived but he really frightened her and she was left deeply hurt and upset."

Mr Stephen Hamblett, defending, said: "He was not thinking straight and has ruined a friendship of many years standing. He had been drinking and had lost his head which is evidenced by what he did to himself.

"She had put him up following his release from prison. It was a moment of madness from him during which he bit the hand that fed him."

Summers, who had 56 previous convictions involving 146 separate offences and was of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to affray and was jailed by Recorder Nigel Baker QC who told him: "You abused a friendship in the most disruptive and threatening way. It was a very unpleasant incident for those who witnessed it."