A man high on speed who brandished a knife at police said that he carried weapons because the drug made him feel paranoid.

Paul Townend pleaded guilty to possession of three bladed articles when he appeared at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court.

Magistrates felt that the incident was so serious that they sent his case to crown court for sentencing.

Linda Fowler, prosecuting, said that the 41-year-old’s bizarre behaviour led to police being called to Huddersfield town centre late on July 8.

At 11pm they received a report of a man acting strangely in Castlegate on the ring road and carrying a knife.

As the officers approached Townend, of Kelso Grove in Dalton, he fled towards Chapel Hill.

Mrs Fowler said: “Officers saw him produce a large kitchen knife from within his clothing.

“He brought it up to his chest and pointed it towards them.”

The officers gave chase and Townend discarded the knife plus two Stanley knives in the road.

He was detained and appeared under the influence of a substance, magistrates heard.

Mrs Fowler said: “He was sweating profusely to the point where his clothing was wet through, he was shouting and making no sense.

“The defendant said he had been taking amphetamines for a few days.

“He said he carries them (knives) when he’s on speed.

“When asked how the drugs made him feel he said: ‘Sometimes they make me feel alive, sometimes I’m paranoid’.”

Sonia Kidd, mitigating, said his client had taken the drug for two years and before the incident hadn’t slept for three days.

She said: “His behaviour was out of character, his memory in relation to these offences was coloured by what he had taken.

“It’s something that sometimes has a positive effect on him, but this time it had a negative effect on him.”

Magistrates committed Townend to Leeds Crown Court for sentence.

He will appear there on August 22.

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