A KNIFE-wielding thug threatened to kill his cousin and his pal outside a house in Ruabon.

But he was told to take the chance of rehabilitation by a judge who stepped back from sending him to prison.

Michael Meisterjahn, 32, was described as being “psychotic” when he armed himself with a knife and targeted his relative, Darryl Evans, and his friend Matthew Hughes in January.

But Mold Crown Court heard Meisterjahn had already served the equivalent of a 16-month sentence while on remand and Judge Niclas Parry said a custodial sentence would not help to address his violent tendencies.

“You have been convicted of very serious matters which involved waving a knife when you were out of control and mad with anger under the influence of something,” said the judge.

“You may not have wanted to harm anybody, but with that knife put close to faces and making threats to kill you could have caused serious injury.

“You have a bad record and were on a 120-day suspended sentence at the time of the offences, but the reality is another prison sentence would mean you being released into the community without supervision.”

The court heard Meisterjahn confronted Darryl Evans and Matthew Hughes in an alleyway in the village, accusing Mr Evans of having “been in his mother’s garden”.

He pushed him into a hedge before producing a knife which he held to his victim’s throat.

He only released him after Mr Hughes shouted to him to let go, but the pair chose not to report the matter to police.

But, said prosecuting barrister Ffion Tomos, eight days later Meisterjhan went onto the streets of Ruabon again armed with a knife and targeted another man, Andrew Walters, as he was walking to his parents down an alleyway, pushing him into a fence.

“He demanded to know where Mr Hughes lived and he was holding a knife in a hand and started to wave it around,” said Ms Tomos.

Meisterjahn then made his way to Mr Hughes’ home in Daniels Drive where he pulled his knife out again and was heard kicking at the door shouting, “I’ll f…ing kill you” over and over again.

Mr Hughes’ mother, Hayley Hughes, went out to try to calm him down, but he told her: “Yes, I have a knife and I am going to use it.

"I am going to kill your son.

"Send them out. I am going to murder them.”

Meisterjahn, of Hampsons Grove, Ruabon, pleaded not guilty to using a knife to threaten Darryl Evans and causing risk of harm on January 3.

He also denied a similar charge against Andrew Walters, affray and making threats to kill Matthew Hughes all on January 11.

Meisterjahn refused representation and the judge ordered trial proceedings go ahead in his absence.

Darryl Evans told the court he had given his cousin the benefit of the doubt and not reported the first incident, but when Meisterjahn went round to Mr Hughes’ home he thought he must be “psychotic” as he was screaming and kicking the front door.

He said he pulled a steak knife from his pocket and he was shouting “I will kill both of you”, while he was slicing at the air with the weapon.

Meisterjahn did not defend himself in court and was convicted of all four counts by a jury.

As well as the two-year sentence, suspended for two years, the judge told him he would have to meticulously attend a regime of 40 sessions to address any mental health issues under the rehabilitation requirement of a community order.

He was also handed a restraining order to stay away from the aggrieved parties and their homes for five years.

Judge Parry added: “Take the chance and attend these meetings and you will be helped.

"If you don’t then you know I will have to send you to custody.”