'I will cut your head off': Telford man threatened neighbours with knife
A mechanic who threatened three neighbours with a knife and said he would cut a woman's head off has been jailed.
Scott Darrall was arrested by officers who pointed a Taser at him, but he continued being abusive and disruptive and even began undressing himself once he was in custody.
Darrall, 29, flew into a rage during an argument with his partner at their house in Stirchley, Telford, on the evening of June 19 this year, and he began shouting abuse.
Concerned neighbours who heard high-pitched screaming thought his children were in danger and called police before some of them approached the house, Shrewsbury Crown Court heard.
Darrall was outside at this point speaking into a mobile phone, and he only became angrier when two of the neighbours spoke to him.
Prosecuting barrister Ian Ball said that Darrall told one of them: "Bring your brother, bring your father, I'll sort them all out."
He said that he retrieved a kitchen knife from the house and began swinging it around, and told one of the women: "I will cut your f***ing head off."
'You will be seeing me again'
A woman came out of the property Darrall had emerged from and asked the neighbours to leave, Mr Ball said.
Darrall swore at her and told her to get back inside. Police had been told Darrall had a knife and when they arrived they pointed a Taser at him before detaining him.
The court heard a report from one of the officers who arrested him, which said the defendant continued "ranting and screaming" while in custody, and said aloud: "I will be out in 24 hours, then you will be seeing me again."
Once he was in a cell and had his handcuffs removed, he began taking his clothes off.
Darrall was interviewed by police the next day.
At court on Monday his representative Suzanne Francis said his behaviour that day was out of character for Darrall, a "devoted" father of two.
She said that he was a "family man" who had been with his partner for 12 years and that there had never been any physical violence in the relationship.
She said: "It's very clear that this man is completely different to the man he was that day.
"There is a verbal argument... what follows is disgraceful conduct; actions which he can't comprehend. He is appalled by them.
"He's somebody who is polite and engaging. It must simply have been red mist at being accused of physically harming his partner.
"He knows he has nobody to blame but himself."
'Out of control'
Darrall's most recent criminal conviction was for criminal damage in 2015 and he received a community order.
Judge Jonathan Gosling told Darrall: "The Government is taking an increasingly tough line on people who arm themselves with a knife, and minimum sentences have been set out for those who do.
"The reasons for that and the reason for the sentences handed down by the court can be read every day in the papers.
"Your temper was completely out of control. You have got a serious temper on you when provoked.
"You have quite a different side to your character. Your two children are absolutely devoted to you because you're an excellent father."
In sentencing him he said he considered the impact that sending him to jail would have on his family.
He gave him a six-month sentence for affray, and three sentences of six months each for each woman he threatened with the knife.
They will run concurrently to each other but consecutive to the first sentence, making a total of one year in prison.
The judge directed that Darrall, of Cranmere in Stirchley, was not guilty of another charge of assault by beating, related to claims that he pushed one of the women during the altercation.
