IAN Gareth Leek called the police after he and his sister were attacked by a man armed with a knife.

But it was Leek who was arrested after police had to restrain him from lunging at his alleged attacker, Blackburn magistrates heard.

Leek, 24, of Mill Hill Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly and was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay £45 costs.

The court heard that police were talking to Leek, trying to establish what had happened, when he lunged at another man present. Leek struggled violently and had to be handcuffed.

Bashrat Ditta, defending, said a great deal had happened before the police arrived.

Leek and his sister had been in the Navigation pub where they had received unwanted attention from another man.

"Such was the annoyance caused that the publican asked the other man to leave," said Mr Ditta. "They were very surprised when they left, an hour later, and the man was sitting on a bench waiting for them."

Mr Ditta said the pair ignored the man and began walking back to Leek's sister's home.

"My client's sister looked behind and shouted to her brother that the man was running towards them," said Mr Ditta.

"At this stage the other man produced a knife and my client fully accepts that he punched him.

"Having defended himself and his sister my client ran to the nearest house and asked them to call the police."

Mr Ditta said his client became angry when the police refused to listen to him; his sister or the person who had phoned the police.

"He accepts that he became agitated and made a lunge for the other man," said Mr Ditta.

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