Man threatened to stab 'noisy neighbour' to death over loud music at house in Holbeck

Kevin Ellis armed himself with a knife and confronted his neighbour on the doorstep of his home in Leeds, shouting: "Turn the music down or I will kill you."

A court heard Ellis lives back-to-back with his neighbour in terraced properties in Holbeck

The judge showed mercy on the 51-year-old, giving him a suspended sentence after hearing how he put up with the noise for six months.

Ellis went to the man's house at 5pm on March 10 this year and banged on the door.

The man opened the door to see Ellis standing there with a knife.

Heather Gilmore, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court: "The defendant shouted 'turn the music down or I will kill you'

The neighbour replied: "Ok I will."

Ellis then said: "If you don't turn it down, come outside and I will kill you."

The neighbour closed the door and called the police.

When officers arrived Ellis told them: "He's making mine and my wife's lives a misery."

Ellis, a delivery driver, told police he had drunk ten cans of lager earlier in the day.

When interviewed about the incident Ellis said the issue with his neighbour had been going on for months.

He accepted that his behaviour had been "stupid."

Ellis, of Cleveleys Road, Holbeck pleaded guilty to making threats to kill and possession of a blade in public.

Probation officer Jodie Loftus said Ellis and his wife had approached the neighbour on a previous occasion to discuss the noise issue.

She said: "It does appear that he had been sat stewing in drink and, in his words, he snapped and went to confront the neighbour."

The court heard Ellis has now spoken to his landlord and is keeping a diary to record noise issues.

Ellis was given a four-month jail sentence, suspended for a year, and ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Simon Batiste told Ellis: "You were so stupid that day - you could easily be in custody now.

"Whatever may have happened in terms of shouting and music, there is no excuse for going around threatening to kill people with a knife."