A man has been jailed after making threats at a Bradford drug and alcohol support centre and gesturing towards a combat knife.

Anthony Allsopp turned up at New Directions at Pelican House in Currer Street in an agitated and unstable condition, Bradford Crown Court heard.

He demanded his drugs script after being mistakenly allowed into the building and then made threats and gestured towards the knife.

Allsopp, 45, of Meadway, Woodside, Bradford, pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article and threatening behaviour on October 22 last year.

He had eight previous convictions for 13 offences, including possession of a bladed article in 2020, and three matters of assault dating back several years.

The court heard that the male staff member at the centre was “shocked, taken aback and saddened” by the behaviour of Allsopp, whom he had known for some time.

Clare Walsh, Allsopp’s barrister, said he had serious mental health problems and went into a downward spiral last year. He was unable to receive his benefits, lost a lot of weight and was relying on food parcels.

Allsopp was on medication to help with his diabetes and his addiction to drugs. He was without key medication to manage his addiction when he committed the offences.

Miss Walsh said Allsopp’s life was now improving.

He was living in stable accommodation with his ill mother, who was suffering with cancer, helping with her shopping and to pay the bills.

He was also saving up to do renovation work on his home so he could move back there.

Miss Walsh asked the court to impose a community order or a suspended order with a rehabilitation activity requirement.

She said Allsopp had learned his lesson and would never carry a knife again. He knew it was wrong and he was afraid of being caught again.

But Recorder Michael Fanning jailed him for nine months.

He said that while Allsopp had mental health problems, many of his difficulties stemmed from his long-standing history of drugs misuse.

The support worker he threatened was “shocked, harassed and taken aback,” both for himself but mainly for others, Recorder Fanning said.

During the confrontation, Allsopp had gestured towards “a serious combat knife” that was lying nearby but was beyond his reach.