A pizza chef who threatened his neighbour with a knife has been given a community order by a court.

Ahmad Algoof was heard shouting and swearing outside his home on Swiss Street in Accrington, Burnley Crown Court heard.

The court was told that Algoof had been the subject of a police investigation into cannabis production and accused his neighbour of ‘grassing’ on him.

When the victim was taking his children to school, Algoof pointed at him shouting ‘every one of you grassed on me, I know it’s you as well’.

Algoof then threatened him with a saucepan and a seven-inch knife, before the victim punched him twice in the face.

Algoof, 39, pleaded guilty to possessing a bladed article and assault by beating and was given a 12-month community order with a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Judith McCullough, prosecuting, said Algoof was first heard shouting at 8am on April 27 and was confronted his neighbour at 8.45am.

When the victim told Algoof to stop swearing, he replied ‘I’m coming for you’ before returning onto the street with a saucepan. Algoof then said ‘I’ll kill you, I know where you live’ and pushed the victim in the chest and swung the pan at him which missed.

The court heard how when the victim started walking back to his car Algoof then shouted ‘why are you running off?’ and grabbed his wrist.

As the victim turned round, he saw Algoof holding a knife sideways towards his head before his neighbour punched him twice in the face.

Algoof then told him ‘you’ll regret that’ before beginning to smash the top of his neighbour’s front yard.

When he was arrested by police, he told officers he hadn’t taken any medication in two days and was ‘angry and effectively shouting at himself’.

Mark Stuart, defending Algoof, now of St Peter Street, Blackburn, said he was ‘genuinely sorry for his actions and recognises he was in the wrong and deserves punishment’.

He told the court: “He has improved since he moved to Blackburn and he is in contact with the crisis team.”

Judge Beverley Lunt said it was ‘extraordinarily bizarre behaviour’ and ‘No one was actually hurt by what you did except you as you were punched in the face twice.’

She said: “You’ve got problems that go back a long period of time.”