A man involved in a neighbour dispute came out of his house with a knife in his hand.

Blackburn magistrates heard police saw John Andrew Outlaw throw the weapon under a parked car before he was arrested.

Outlaw, 47, of Hurstwood Avenue, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to possessing a knife in a public place and assaulting an emergency worker. He was sentenced to six months in prison suspended for 12 months with an alcohol monitoring requirement.

He was ordered to pay £50 compensation, £85 costs and £154 victim surcharge.

Antonia Walters, prosecuting, said police were called to a domestic incident on Hurstwood Avenue. The male involved claimed that Outlaw had been having an affair with his wife. As he was talking to police Outlaw emerged from his own house carrying a knife.

After his arrest Outlaw kicked out and caught one of the officers on the shin.

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said his client had got embroiled in an incident he should not have been involved in. He had been accused of having an affair with a neighbour’s wife, which he denied.

“There was clearly some provocation, with the neighbour making these false allegations,” said Mr Taylor.

“After an earlier altercation things calmed down and he was in his kitchen cooking some food when things flared up again outside his house.

“He has to accept that when he went out of the house again he had the knife in his hand.”

Mr Taylor said his client believed he had been roughly treated by the police.

“He accepts he lashed out after being pepper sprayed,” said Mr Taylor.