An angry dog owner who threatened to kill people letting off fireworks in a park after his pet was frightened and he was attacked has been spared an immediate prison sentence.

Jordan Baker took a knife with him after telling the police he would stab his assailants if officers didn’t attend at the scene.

Prosecutor Nicola Hoskins told Bradford Crown Court on Monday that the incident unfolded on the evening of Bonfire Night last year.

A friend of Baker was walking the dog at around 7pm when it became distressed by the fireworks.

Baker, 25, of Haley Hill, Halifax, was assaulted and received a cut to his eye when he went out to remonstrate with the people letting off the fireworks.

He fetched a knife from his home and called the police warning that he was ‘going to stab people’ if they didn’t turn up at the park.

When the officers arrived, Baker said he had meant what he said. He refused to comply when he was being arrested and was taken to the ground and handcuffed.

He told the police he wanted the threat to be taken seriously so that they would attend.

It was ’20 seconds of madness’ he said when questioned.

He pleaded guilty at the first opportunity before the magistrates to making a threat to kill another person to a police staff call taker on November 5, 2022; possession of a knife in a public place and obstructing a police officer.

The court heard he was very lightly convicted with nothing recent.

Baker’s barrister, Gerald Hendron, said the defendant had particular difficulties with autism and ADHD that explained his approach to matters that evening.

His friend was walking the dog when the animal became distressed by the fireworks.

Baker went to tell the people letting them off to stop and was himself assaulted.

He now realised his actions in taking the knife and making the threat to kill were ‘wholly disproportionate.’ Although the case passed the custody threshold, he suffered from mental health prob-lems and would be particularly vulnerable in prison.

The probation service was keen to work with Baker in what was ‘a specialised and difficult case,’ Mr Hendron said.

Recorder Patrick Palmer sentenced Baker to 12 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, with 20 rehabilitation activity days.

He said that Baker was assaulted when he went to remonstrate with those letting off the fireworks.

He had mental health difficulties and would benefit from positive help from the proba-tion service.