A MAN threatened to “wrap a shovel round the heads” of a group of youths who were shouting abuse in the street, York Crown Court heard.

And the city's top judge - sentencing the defendant - warned against people taking the law into their own hands.

The youths were among a group of 15 who had shortly before gathered outside the home of Jonathan Adam Welsh’s mother and shouted abuse about one of his relatives, said Kelly Sherif, prosecuting.

Welsh had also threatened to “smash their faces”, the court heard.

“You pick up the phone and you call the police,” the Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris, told Welsh.

“You don’t take the law into your own hands.

“It was potentially a very dangerous situation. It could have escalated and got very nasty.”

Welsh, 33, of Fostergate, Selby, pleaded guilty to a public order offence which has a maximum sentence of six months in jail.

The judge told him: “I think what is needed for you is just to feel the Sword of Damocles hanging over your head.”

He passed a three-month prison sentence suspended for 12 months on condition Welsh does 20 days’ rehabilitative activities.

For Welsh, Laura Addy said he had promised his recently deceased aunt he would be a better person.

Ms Sheriff said the youths had gathered outside Welsh’s mother’s home on April 22 last year.

Welsh went out to them and there was a stand-off of about 15 minutes, during which Welsh said he would “smash their faces”.

He then went to his own home and the youths followed him.

Again he went out to the youths. This time, he went down the side of the house and returned a couple of minutes later with the shovel.

He began walking down the street swinging the shovel.

As he did, he told the youths: “This shovel is going to be wrapped around your head.”

For Welsh, Laura Addy said he was doing “very, very well” on an 18-month community order.

York Crown Court heard Welsh had received it in July, for being drunk and disorderly and having a weapon in public. The offences were committed after the shovel incident.

Ms Addy said Welsh had made significant changes as a result of alcohol treatment and was no longer drinking regularly.

He now planned to tackle his cannabis use.

According to Welsh, at the time of the shovel incident, “his head was a shed”, she said.

The phrase means being confused, stressed, or mentally disorientated.

He had also suffered a recent bereavement.

He had moved in with his aunt and she had been helping him with his difficulties.

A week before the court appearance, he had found her dead and he was now about to lose his accommodation, the York court was told.