A man stabbed a pub door shouting that he would “gut someone” after picking up a knife from a van.
Richard Ettles, of Altdubh Place, Blackburn, in Aberdeenshire, committed the crime at the Kintore Arms Inn on February 24.
Two staff members were unloading goods from a van when they came across Ettles on the street.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard yesterday that they believed he was intoxicated when they saw him walking to the entrance of the pub.
And they noticed that the 39-year-old had picked up a 3½ inch green kitchen knife, which they had been using to open boxes on the van.
The two staff members ran into the bar and locked the door – preventing Ettles from entering the building.
Fiscal despute Lynn MacVicar explained those inside the bar then “heard a loud bang, which was the accused stabbing the door with the knife.”
She added that Ettles shouted through the door that he would “gut someone.”
Police were called and traced him 10 minutes later at a nearby bus stop.
Ms MacVicar said: “He was instantly aggressive and adopted a fighting stance.
“When taken into a police car he bit a police officer on the hand.”
The court heard the knife was found lodged in the entrance door to the Square Bar.
Ettles’s defence lawyer explained to the sheriff that her client had made efforts to curb his drinking habit.
She said: “He has self referred to an addiction programme, has started counselling and only had one drink since the incident.”
Ettles admitted being in possession of a knife, two charges of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner and assaulting a police officer.
Sheriff Ian Wallace deferred sentence until next month for reports.