Andrew Perry, 43, left the Back To The 80s bar on Market Street after being involved in a heated argument with a group of women. He returned to the bar an hour later armed with a kitchen knife demanding to be readmitted.

Despite pressing the weapon into a bouncer’s chest and threatening to slash the manager’s neck, he was allowed back in after giving the doorman a hug.

He was even advised to hand in the knife at reception and collected it at the end of the evening.

Perry was jailed for 15 months after he admitted two charges of threatening another person with a bladed article and the possession of a bladed article at Minshull Street Crown Court.

The father of one, who works as a fork lift truck driver, was arrested after he sent an apology to staff at the bar the following morning and admitted: ”I crossed a line.”

The incident occurred on December 15 last year after Perry had been out drinking to mark the anniversary of a friend’s death.

Hunter Gray, prosecuting, said: “The two complainants were working at the Back to the 80s bar in Stalybridge. Samuel Bennett was working as a member of the door staff and Ethan McCoy was working as the venue manager behind the bar.

”The defendant entered the venue at midnight. He was a regular customer to the bar and as a result the staff members knew his face.

“He sat at the bar and spoke to bar staff and other customers in the venue and was ordering drinks. An argument ensued after the defendant tried to include a female who was standing at the bar in his round of drinks.

”She didn’t want to be included in his round and refused and this led to a heated argument. The defendant left the venue after this argument but returned to the bar an hour later.

”The defendant was held back outside the venue by Mr Bennett, who had denied him entry and noticed that the defendant had a large kitchen knife tucked into his waistband.

”When Mr Bennett questioned him about this, the defendant lifted his top to show him. He then argued with Bennett about not being served more drinks. At this point, Mr McCoy joined the parties outside.

”The defendant then took the knife out of his waistband and threatened to stick it in Mr McCoy’s neck. Mr Bennett stood between the two parties and tried to break it up, but as he did the defendant pressed the knife into his chest and threatened him.

“But the incident then suddenly calmed down, and the defendant apologised for his actions, he even hugged Mr Bennett before handing over his knife to the office and being allowed back into the venue where he was served drinks for the rest of the night. He had his knife returned to him when he eventually left the venue.

“The next day, the defendant messaged Mr Bennett via WhatsApp and apologised for his actions the night before. He blamed drink and his other problems and said that he had “crossed the line”.

“He was later arrested after a report was filed but he denied the offence in interview.”

Door staff shaken up with the threat

In a statement, door staff member Mr Bennett said: “This incident left me shaken up. It was only the day after I realised how serious it was. I could have been stabbed, harmed or killed.”

Venue manager Mr McCoy added: “I broke down in a flood of tears when I got home that night and didn’t go back to work for a while. I go to work to serve people drinks and make a living; I don’t expect to be threatened like that. I am just glad it didn’t happen to any of my other colleagues.”

The court heard Perry had a “hazy recollection” of the evening.

Defence counsel Paul Addison said: “Drinking has been an unfortunate handicap in his life that has been the cause of many of his troubles. He had been drinking that night to mark the anniversary of a friend’s death.

“He has been to the bar before and no trouble has come of it. Before the incident, he visited the bar three to four times a week for eight months. The venue was sparsely populated at the time of this offence and so his actions were unlikely to give rise to serious harm and disorder.

“He acted impetuously and accepts that his behaviour was disgraceful and deplorable. He is extremely embarrassed by what he did.”

In sentencing, the judge Mr Recorder Michael Blakey told Perry: “This must have been a very frightening experience for both parties involved. I accept that your subsequent apologies are genuine but then you initially pleaded not guilty.”

“You have let yourself down and not made a good example to your family and especially your three-year-old daughter, who will now be temporarily without a father.”

“The use of weapons is at epidemic level in society, with numerous incidents of people who are carrying weapons and incidents that lead to death. May this be a warning that if you carry a knife, you are more than likely going to lose your liberty.”

(Source: Manchester Evening News)

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