A FLINTSHIRE man has been jailed for pulling a knife out during a road rage incident.

Dayle Owens, 30, of New Brighton Road in Bagillt, admitted to drawing the weapon at a hearing before Mold Crown court on Thursday, April 22.

Oliver King, prosecuting, told the court how the dispute began as a “road rage incident” on March 24 this year.

The dad-of-two was said to be travelling as a passenger in an Audi vehicle heading towards Flint along the A548 Coast Road.

The court heard that, just after 5pm, the car’s driver overtook a Vauxhall Zafira travelling on the same route.

A few moments later the Vauxhall driver caught up with the Audi and became level with it on the road. This is when an altercation occurred.

The court heard that the passenger in the Vauxhall vehicle ‘threw an object’ at the Audi before speeding off from the scene.

The Leader:

Still images from the dash cam footage that captured Owens using his mobile phone whilst brandishing the blade in Flint earlier this year. [Provided by Crown Prosecution Service]

Mr King said Owens and the Audi driver followed the other car at speed before they both came to a stop on Chester Road, Flint.

The court heard Owens then got out of the car and approached the Vauxhall driver to confront him. As he did so, he was said to have pulled out a knife.

Owens was said to have kept the knife pointed away from the men in the Zafira – but this did not stop onlookers becoming alarmed by the weapon being held in the street.

It was stressed that Owens did not make an attempt to use the knife to cause harm.

The altercation did cause a stream of traffic to build up in the area.

Dash cam footage from a passing motorist – who saw the blade – was used to be able to track down Owens after the incident had come to a stop.

Police arrested him and during a search of his Flintshire home the weapon matching the footage was found.

He gave no comment interviews with police initially but later gave a full confession when he first appeared before the magistrates court.

Owens has two offences for possessing weapons in public – one of those also being a knife back in 2018.

Simon Rogers, defending, said Owens was trying to ‘get his life in order’ for the sake of his young children. He has moved out of the area and ‘intends to leave his offending behind’.

He added there was thankfully no injury during this ‘brief incident’ where a weapon was drawn.

The judge was reminded that Jones had confessed at the first possible opportunity before the courts.

However, judge David Hale sentenced him to eight months in custody and warned that he not be ‘so stupid’ in the future.

He said: “You can’t go around with a knife on the off chance that you might see the cause to use it.

“It was a public place, in the middle of a busy street, where you got out of the car for no good reason with a knife.

“It must have been terrifying for innocent members of the public to see.”

An order to have the knife destroyed was also granted by the judge.