Man shouted threats to kill in front of Kennet Centre shoppers

"The victim had his arms raised to protect himself"

A 21-YEAR-OLD man made threats to kill another male while horrified afternoon shoppers at the Kennet Shopping centre looked on, a court heard.

Haydon Lucas, of Downside, East Ilsley, also shouted abuse before a security guard intervened on the afternoon of September 25.

Prosecutor Lesley Gilmore told Reading Magistrates Court last Thursday (February 23): “Mr Lucas started hitting the other man shouting ‘I will kill you’.

“At this point a security guard intervened and Mr Lucas ran off.

“The security guard was still talking to the victim when Mr Lucas returned, shouting and kicking the victim.

“At this time there were other members of the public around and witnesses say they saw him throw a punch at the man. The victim had his arms raised to protect himself.”

Mr Lucas pleaded guilty to the section 4 public order offence.

The incident found Mr Lucas in breach of a 16-week suspended sentence imposed by the same court last year.

Adjourning the hearing to allow a pre-sentence report to be prepared, the district judge said: “I have to think about custody but it’s the sort of thing I have to be very careful with considering his age.”

Mr Lucas was released on conditional bail with the court ordering him not to visit the Kennet Shopping centre before the sentencing hearing today (Friday).