A VERWOOD man who admitted wielding two kitchen knives during a drunken argument has escaped an immediate prison term.

Gary Morgan, aged 28, had been among a group of friends drinking and socialising in the garden of a property at Bingham Drive, Verwood, when the incident unfolded on July 9.

Morgan, whose address was given as Dorset Heavy Horse Centre, Edmondsham, Verwood, appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court for sentencing, after pleading guilty to two counts of using a bladed article in a public place at an earlier hearing.

Initially an argument broke out in the early hours between Morgan and his girlfriend, the court heard.

Tom Wright, prosecuting, said: "He (Morgan) became agitated and at one stage he threw a glass at his girlfriend."

Then he started arguing with another man, Ben Small, shouting 'I'm going to kill you', said Mr Wright.

Shortly afterwards Morgan went to his own address nearby and retrieved two kitchen knives.

It was after he'd left his address that members of the public, who had been drawn to the fracas, tackled him to the ground and took the knives from him without a struggle, the court heard.

Police were called and he was arrested at the scene.

Mitigating, Robert Grey said Morgan was settled with his partner and two children, and was the family breadwinner - working as a caravan engineer in his father's company.

"He admits problems with alcohol, and has abstained for some time now," said Mr Grey. "He is doing something to address what caused him to behave this way."

The court also heard he had previous convictions for possession of a bladed article, in 2007, and public order assault, from 2009.

Sentencing Morgan to eight months, suspended for two years, Judge Jonathan Fuller said: "People who had been drawn to what you were doing approached you and took the knife off you easily.

"You gave the second knife up straight away, you made no threats with the actual knives themselves."