Ex-soldier jailed after knife threat to Leeds fast food staff

Stanislav Yordanov threatened to kill staff at the takeaway and police officers had to use a taser on him during the incident in Armley.

Leeds Crown Court heard Yordanov was drunk when he went into the premises on Tong Road on November 20 last year.

Yordanov then asked the man who was serving him if he was a Christian, When the man replied that he was a muslim he began swearing at him.

Michael Collins, prosecuting, said staff working at the store felt frightened and intimidated.

Yordanov then made the sign of the cross before pulling a kitchen knife out of his jacket and said to them: “Do not look into my eyes.”

Yordanov, 44, of Cheltenham Avenue, Ipswich, continued to wave the knife around and shouted more foul mouthed abuse.

One of the workers went into the back of the shop and called police.

Officers arrived and found Yordanov nearby eating the food he had ordered.

He dropped the knife as he was being restrained by the officers. Yordanov then asked one of the officers if he was a muslim and said he find him and kill him when released.

Yordanov, a Bulgarian national, was interviewed when he was sober and said he had served in the special forces for many years.

He said he had served in Afghanistan.

He pleaded guilty to religiously aggravated threatening behaviour and making a threat with a blade in public.

Holly Betke, mitigating, said Yordanov had got drunk with a friend in a pub opposite the takeaway before the incident and wrongly believed they offended him.

Miss Betke said Yordanov did not realise it was a serious offence to carry a knife in the UK.

Yordanov was jailed for 12 months. Judge Geoffrey Marson, QC, said: “It must have been a frightening experience.”