A MAN who drunkenly threatened members of the public and threw plastic bottles at a woman has been spared jail.

Karl Matthews, 29, of Queens Road, Greenfield, was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment, suspended for a year-and-a-half, at Mold Crown Court today (April 26).

He had previously admitted charges of common assault and threatening behaviour.

Karl Scholz, prosecuting, told the court that, at about 11.15am on December 19, 2023 on New Shop Parade, a shopkeeper saw Matthews appearing “completely out of it”.

Matthews threatened to hit a customer, before later trying to disrupt traffic, throwing rubbish and bottles into a road.

Under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs at the time, Matthews then shouted at Paula Ward: “Get your fella, I’m going to smash his f***ing face.”

He threw plastic bottles at her, before shouting at elderly man who had got out of his car due to the commotion caused.

Police arrested Matthews at his home address; he was also subject to a suspended custodial sentence at the time.

Defending Matthews, who had nine previous convictions for 22 offences, Nicholas Williams said his client has never experienced prison, “a real fear for him”.

He apologised for his behaviour, which he was “embarrassed by,” while Mr Williams said that alcohol causes Matthews to become an “anti-social menace”.

Judge Niclas Parry, sentencing, told Matthews: “Those decent people – the person in the shop, ordinary members of the community – don’t deserve to be treated like they were treated; abused, frightened, left trying to care for each other.

“That happened because you were out of control of your senses.”

Matthews was also ordered to completely a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement, 30 days’ rehabilitation activity, and a 90-day period of alcohol abstinence.

He will also pay a statutory surcharge.