Daniel Jones (31), of Percival Crescent, admitted being in possession of an offensive weapon at an earlier hearing and was sentenced by Mansfield magistrates on Wednesday.

Police were called to a domestic incident involving Jones in Stanton Hill on 3rd August this year, the court was told.

When they arrived, Jones had gone and the other party decided not to take the matter further.

Officers decided to find Jones to offer him some advice and found him in a takeaway on the High Street, where he was searched and officers discovered the weapon.

Protection

In mitigation, Deborah Bell told the court Jones had the weapon as protection because he had previously been 'severely assaulted' by people in the area and it was nothing to do with the earlier domestic dispute.

She added: "He is in desperate need of intervention for his alcohol dependency."

Magistrates revoked an existing community order and sentenced Jones to an 18-month order with an 18-month supervision requirement.

He was ordered to complete a six-month alcohol treatment course and was banned from visiting Gardiner Terrace, Stanton Hill, for 18 months.

Jones was also banned from contacting the woman involved in the domestic dispute and her children for 18 months.

Magistrates told Jones: "We have bent over backwards for you today and you will be in serious trouble if you carry on like you have been –– think on that when you walk out of here."