Nelson man brandished a knife during Colne pub fight

Donaldo Tafa, 37, pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article during his plea and trial preparation hearing last year.

Burnley Crown Court heard how on November 12, 2021, police officers were called to the Union Exchange pub in Colne at around 1.15am to reports of an altercation, and a man having produced a knife.

Information given to the officers said the man with the knife was seen leaving the pub and entering a black BMW.

The vehicle was located in a nearby street and the man was found in the passenger seat, with a lock knife located underneath the seat.

CCTV was obtained and showed the defendant holding the knife whilst involved in an altercation.

No action was taken against the driver of the BMW.

Mitigating for Tafa, Rachel Webster said he was “extremely remorseful and acted impulsively”.

She added Tafa, of Poplar Street, Nelson, was an asylum seeker who came to the country from Albania three years ago.

He lives with his wife and has a baby who was born last month.

Sentencing, Recorder Daniel Prowse said: “You were fighting with another male.

"You can be seen throwing punches at him and other people who were there intervened to try and stop the violence.

“Towards the end of the incident you can be seen to produce a knife in your right hand and after you’d done so you continue to use violence against the other man, albeit at no point can you be seen to use the knife to attempt to cause injury.

“The person you were fighting with could have been seriously injured. The people who were intervening could have been seriously injured. You could have been seriously injured.”

Recorder Prowse sentenced Tafa to eight months in prison suspended for 12 months.

He must also complete 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 120 hours of unpaid work.

The Recorder added: “If you breach the order or commit any further offences, you will be returned to court in breach and the default position will be you will go to prison.”