A TEENAGER from Llandudno has been spared immediate custody after carrying a machete in the town, which he used to slash the tyres of the car of a resident who he also threatened to stab.

Charley Jones, 18, of Maes Y Cym, was sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, at Caernarfon Crown Court today (August 3).

He had previously pleaded guilty to threatening a person with a bladed article in public.

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Prosecuting, William Griffin told the court that, on the evening of February 23, Jones attended The Nevill pub on Vaughan Street, Llandudno, where he made “inappropriate” comments to a woman.

While there, he also made “multiple advances” to the same woman, Jessica Spencer, despite her telling him that she already had a partner.

Jones then made several threats to her partner, Tyler Wilson, who was at home at the time; these included stabbing him, bombing his house, and slashing his car tyres.

He later left the pub, but soon returned, saying: “You’ll never guess what we’ve done.”

It transpired that Jones had indeed slashed all four tyres of Mr Wilson’s vehicle.

Ms Spencer went to Mr Wilson’s home, but Jones continued to call her, making further threats to attend her partner’s address with a machete.

At 1.34am on February 24, Jones and another male arrived at Mr Wilson’s address; he was armed with a machete, and his associate with a “BB gun”.

Mr Wilson and Ms Spencer were inside the house at the time, along with his relatives.

Jones was seen by Mr Wilson from his front room, and when he went outside to ask him what was happening, the defendant brandished and swung the machete.

All of the house’s occupants were left “terrified”, Mr Griffin said, and after police were called, Jones and the other male fled the scene.

Jones was arrested at his home at 2.28am, where a number of similar weapons were located and seized.

At the time of his offending, he was said to have been under the influence of alcohol, cocaine and ketamine.

Defending Jones, who had eight previous convictions for 25 offences, Sarah Yates admitted that his behaviour was a “complete overreaction”, for which he was “extremely remorseful and regretful”.

She described Jones as a “mentally unstable” individual, who has been assessed for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

He was made homeless aged 16, but has been working as a plasterer for the last two years

Jones has led a “quiet life” since this incident, Ms Yates added, no longer frequenting pubs or clubs, abstaining from alcohol and drugs, and not re-offending.

With this in mind, she said, she invited the court to consider suspending his custodial sentence.

Sentencing, Judge Saffman told Jones that his initial comments to Ms Spencer were “entirely inappropriate”.

“Your chaotic lifestyle, clearly, has impeded you being able to comply with orders from the youth court,” she said.

She agreed to suspend Jones’ sentence on the basis of “exceptional circumstances”, namely that he had begun rehabilitating himself, hadn’t re-offended since, is in full-time work, has mental health difficulties, and had just turned 18 at the time of this incident.

He will also complete a “thinking skills” programme and 60 days’ rehabilitation activity requirements, and was excluded from pubs and nightclubs for one year.

Judge Saffman reserved Jones’ case to herself, telling him: “You have shown that there is some hope.

“(But) any further offences, and you’ll be back before me, and I will send you to prison without any hesitation.”