A young man who lunged with a machete or bayonet-style knife to scare a man during an argument about who owned a bike has been spared an immediate prison sentence.

Brynton Bowen, 21, was freed from jail today (Thursday, May 16) after a judge gave him a chance to prove he can change his behaviour after suspending his 14-month sentence for 18 months.

Bowen admitted waving the knife in front of frightened people near the Golden Valley Chinese takeaway shop in Llanymynech on April 21 only three days after completing a community order for another weapon offence.

His Honour Judge Niclas Parry, sentencing at Mold Crown Court following guilty pleas for affray and possession of knife in a public place, said: "The potential consequences when you were so angry doesn’t bare thinking about.

"Far too many people have been seriously injured in north Wales because of the use of those weapons."

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Armed officers from Dyfed-Powys and West Mercia Police were called to the Powys-Shropshire border village shortly before 7pm after Bowen unsuccessfully tried to get the bike back and threatened to "smash things up".

The court was told that he swung the machete-style knife towards Gregory Clements who then told him to "get away from me, who do you think you are? Bruce Lee?".

Marcus Salmon told police that he recognised the knife which was described as war memorabilia and had a Nazi swastika.

The knife was never recovered, the court was told, and Bowen did not know where it was placed. It took two hours before he was arrested by police.

Bowen said during a police interview that he got the knife out after a man swung for him, adding that "obviously I wasn't going to use it, I just wanted him to f*** off".

Border Counties Advertizer: Golden Valley Chinese restaurant in Llanymynech,

Bowen's barrister Alexa Carrier old the judge that the 21-year-old behaved the way he did that evening because of his own "immaturity and stupidity".

"He does feel great remorse," she said. "He takes responsibility and is not trying to shift the blame to others."

Miss Carrier added that it would be "more beneficial to society" to rehabilitate Bowen by suspending his custodial sentence.

"He's been in custody for about a month and it's not a place he wants to be," she said.

Suspending the 14-month sentence, the judge said: "Because you did so well on the last order there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation. For someone who is 21 years old hopefully that will be a lesson.

"I’m not going to punish you; you’ve already spent time in Berwyn in difficult conditions.

"Take your chance, Mr Bowen."

Bowen, of Tan y Foel, Llanymynech, must also complete a thinking skills accredited programme and 30 days of a rehabilitation requirement programme.