A court heard he ‘said several times that he was going to stab her’ and was looking for a knife
Michael Sutton admitted making threats to kill(Image: Humberside Police)
A vulnerable 81-year-old woman was left “petrified for her life” after her “irate” and “ranting” neighbour threatened to stab her with a knife – and warned that he would “delete her”. Police were called to the scene after the alarm was raised and they feared that he would carry out the threat if they left his house without taking action, Hull Crown Court heard.
Michael Sutton, 39, of Bransholme, Hull, but recently in custody on remand, admitted making threats to kill and possessing cannabis on November 4. He also admitted fraud on July 10 last year.
Dale Brook, prosecuting, said that police went to Sutton’s home after his mother contacted them to say that he was making threats to stab his neighbour. When they got there, he was “irate and restless”.
He was “ranting” about his neighbour, an 81-year-old woman. “He said several times that he was going to stab her in the face and through the head,” said Mr Brook.
Sutton said that he was “going to delete her” and he was looking around, saying: “Where’s my knife?” The police tried to reason with him and calm him down.
“He persisted with threats to stab his neighbour,” said Mr Brook. “He said that he would get a knife and stab his neighbour through the head and delete her.
“He said that he would see the officers in court and they judged that he would do it, as he was persistent with the threats. The officers believed that he would carry out the threat if they left.”
Sutton was arrested. The 81-year-old woman said that she had barely had any previous dealings with Sutton. He had knocked on her window and asked: “What the f*** is going on?”
She was very shocked and very scared to hear that he had been making threats against her. She believed that he could carry out the threats.
“She is described as petrified for her life,” said Mr Brook. “She is worried about being a prisoner in her own home.” During police interview, Sutton claimed that he was joking about the threats.
When he was arrested, he had a joint of cannabis on him. The earlier fraud offence happened when Sutton tried to use a bank card that had been stolen in a burglary.
The transaction was declined and Sutton was identified from CCTV pictures at North Point shopping centre, Bransholme. He had convictions for 69 previous offences, most of them for dishonesty.
He had a weapon offence in 2005 and four public order offences. His most recent offences were in 2022 for shop theft, when he was jailed for six weeks.
Amber Hobson, mitigating, said that father-of-two Sutton previously had a good relationship with the neighbour and he had helped her in the past. He pleaded guilty at an early stage. “He understands that this will be an inevitable custodial sentence,” said Miss Hobson.
Recorder Taryn Turner said: “He expressed repeated and explicit threats to kill an 81-year-old woman, who lives alone, stating that he would stab her and saying that he would delete her. He was actively purporting to seek a knife.
“Very serious distress was caused to a vulnerable victim. There was the persistent and deliberate nature of the threats. Credible threats were made with a lethal weapon. “
Sutton was jailed for two years and two months. He was given an indefinite restraining order.
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