Man made stabbing threats following Boxing Day 999 calls

Darren Lee Beattie, aged 46, of Edward Street, was responsible for two emergency calls on Boxing Day last year and then a third in the early hours of the following morning.

Beattie first dialled 999 at 11-10pm on 26th December, 2025.

He could be heard saying “get the police” and told a call handler he had been threatened but was unconcerned “because he had done jail time”, Carlisle Magistrates’ Court heard.

Beattie said he was going to “stab them” in an apparent reference to two people. “He threatened to put a blade right through them,” said prosecutor Alex Wood.

The call handler could hear the sound of moving traffic in the background, and asked Beattie whether he was in possession of a knife. Beattie replied that he was not, but suggested he was going home to get one.

Beattie made a second 999 call at 11-55pm. “He gave his location and continued his threats to stab the two people,” said Mr Wood.

A third 999 call was made by Beattie at 3-50am. “He said he had been assaulted on Botchergate and repeated that if these two individuals attended his home he would stab them,” added the prosecutor.

In court Beattie admitted one charge of sending a communication threatening death or serious harm. The court heard he had 22 previous convictions for 29 offences. This included one, in 2023, for illegal knife possession.

Defence lawyer Katie Scattergood, mitigating, said of Beattie: “He does accept he was under the influence of alcohol and other substances at the time of his offending. 

A probation officer who interviewed Beattie confirmed he had been “highly intoxicated”. He had latterly spoken of drinking “only moderately”, prompting the officer to suggest: “That is something that would benefit from further work and further exploration.”

District judge Philip Holden imposed a 12-month community order. This includes work with probation and a 60-day alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement, which will flag up any consumption.

“You made three phone calls to the police threatening use of a knife,” said the judge. “That was a serious threat and one which the police understandably took seriously. That, to some extent, was a waste of police time if indeed you did not intend to arm yourself.”

The district judge added: “The fact you mentioned a knife is a serious aggravating feature of the case.”