20-year-old threatened people with knives in Cambridge and swung kitten around on a lead

A 20-year-old who threatened people with knives, mistreated a kitten and damaged a car has been sentenced to two years in a young offenders institution.

A member of the public called police in the early hours of August 19 last year after seeing Jebrill Saad Ibrahim, of Fortescue Road, Cambridge, in the street with a large kitchen knife.

City centre CCTV operators helped officers track him down in Bridge Street and he was approached by armed police in nearby Park Street.

He attempted to escape by jumping over a garden wall - only to land at the feet of more officers.

Ibrahim was arrested on suspicion of having a bladed article in a public place and a large black handled knife was found in the garden through which he had tried to flee.

CCTV footage showed Ibraham had attempted to attack a man in the market square, using the knife to mime throat cutting when facing a group with which he had scuffled.

Ibrahim was released on bail but police called out by staff at Tesco in Campkin Road to deal with him on June 12

They told police he had been abusive and refused to leave the store, despite being banned. Ibrahim eventually left, but shouted outside the shop and broke the front window.

He was arrested, charged and released on bail, and appeared in court in July.

But it was only just over two weeks before he fell foul of the law again.

This time, worried members of the public reported him mistreating a kitten in Arbury Court, Cambridge.

Passers-by saw him swinging the animal around on a makeshift string lead just after 3.30pm on June 27.

When a woman intervened and picked up the kitten, she was chased into the Budgens store. She explained why she was worried and gave the animal back to him, then tried to help a second time after she saw Ibrahim put the cat on the floor as she feared he was going to stamp on it.

The woman picked up the cat but was grabbed round the shoulders by Ibrahim, who pulled out a knife from his bag and threatened her.

The woman ran to the safety of a friend’s car, only to be followed by Ibrahim, who used the knife to scratch the vehicle and strike it, causing a dent.

Officers received more calls from members of the public who had been threatened by a man with a knife, wearing a blue chequered shirt, in the same area.

Ibrahim was spotted heading for home but returned in different clothes with a metal pole and used this to threaten members of the public instead.

When police arrived and arrested Ibrahim, he still had the pole in his hands.

His home was searched and officers found the blue chequered shirt and bag he was using, along with the knife, which had been slid between a fence panel.

At court, Ibrahim admitted eight offences:

- Four counts of criminal damage;
- Two counts of using threatening words or behaviour;
- Affray; and
- Possessing a knife in a public place.

The convictions put him in breach of a previous suspended sentence and at Cambridge Crown Court on Monday (September 4) he was handed a total of two years in a young offenders institution.

PC Greg Langham said: “I can only imagine the panic and fear felt by members of the public who called us about Ibrahim in the street threatening people with a knife or metal pole.

“We are working hard to take offenders who think they can use knives or weapons in this way off our streets.

“I hope the sentence gives all those affected by Ibrahim’s behaviour some closure, and I would like to thank them for calling 999 and raising their concerns when they did.”