Leeds drink driver threatened to chop 16-year-old boy's fingers off with meat cleaver when he refused to buy him booze

Details of the incident were revealed as Nathan Hirst was sentenced for a drink driving offence committed in the Wortley area of Leeds.

Leeds Crown Court heard Hirst was stopped by police on February 1 this year as he drove a Nissan Qashqai on Cobden Road.

Bashir Ahmed, prosecuting, said officers had been called to an incident in the area and had been made aware that the vehicle had been involved.

A passenger in the car was arrested and Hirst got out of the driver's side and began to walk away.

Mr Ahmed said the officers stopped Hirst and he appeared to be unsteady on his feet and was slurring his words.

A breath test revealed that he was two-and-a-half times over the drink drive limit.

Mr Ahmed said Hirst was the subject of a two-year suspended sentence, imposed in June 2018, at the time of the drink driving offence.

The suspended sentence was imposed for offences of affray, assault and having a bladed article in relation to an incident on September 29, 2017.

During the incident Hirst went into his neighbour's home and picked up a meat cleaver before threatening to cut her fingers off.

He then left with the weapon and approached two boys, aged 15 and 16, and asked the older boy to buy him alcohol from a shop.

The teenager refused and Hirst ordered him to put his hands against some railings.

Hirst then produced the meat cleaver and threatened to cut off the victim's fingers.

Mr Ahmed said: "Thankfully, both boys were able to get away."

Hirst pleaded guilty to drink driving and breach of a suspended sentence order.

James Littlehales, mitigating, said Hirst's offending was linked to alcohol misuse.

Mr Littlehales said the drink driving offence occurred at 9am.

He said his client had been drinking the evening before and believed he was fit to drive the following morning.

Mr Littlehales said Hirst was now receiving support to tackle his drinking and was responding well to help.

Hirst was given 150 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Tom Bayliss QC said: "It is complete nonsense to suggest that you did not know you were unfit to drive.

"You were plainly drunk and that is why you walked away from the police.

"You have come within a hair's breadth of going to prison again."