Scorned lover threatened to 'cut people up' with knife outside Portsmouth nightclub

Jilted Gary Farmery turned into a knife-carrying menace after receiving a text from his girlfriend saying she was ‘no longer in love with him’, Portsmouth Crown Court heard.

The angry 22-year-old, who has an eight-month child with his former partner, then stormed down to Pryzm nightclub in Stanhope Road, Portsmouth, on September 1 with a kitchen knife stuffed down the belt of his trousers.

Farmery then made a series of threats to door staff, according to prosecutor Philip Meredith. ‘He told security he had a knife and would start cutting people up in they didn’t bring his ex-girlfriend out of the club,’ he said.

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‘He received a text from his partner that night saying she was “no longer in love” with him which caused him distress.

‘CCTV footage of the incident then showed he was chased down the road by police before he was taken down to the ground. He told police he had a knife down his trousers but never brandished it so there was no serious public threat.’

Farmery, of Waterfields, West Clandon, Guildford, admitted a single charge of possessing a blade in a public place.

Judge David Melville QC told Farmery about the ‘devastation’ he could have caused – highlighting the growing scourge of knife crime blighting the streets of Britain every day.

The judge said: ‘If you had stopped to think you would have realised what a seriously stupid thing it was you were doing.

‘All you have to do is pick up a newspaper or turn on the television and you will see the devastation on our streets from knife crime. So for you to go and do this was stupid and very dangerous.

‘I understand you had a bust-up with your girlfriend and it was very painful. But you have to get over it.’

He added: ‘People are suffering injury and death from knife crime every day. In your case it was just a matter of luck frankly that no one was hurt – it could have been a lot worse.’

Farmery was given a four-month jail term suspended for two years and told to complete 100 hours of unpaid work, as well as undertake 25 rehabilitation days. He was also told to pay £340 costs.