A mum putting her rubbish out was told 'snitches get stitches' after a confrontation with couple who were 'chilling' near her home. Ryan Burton, who was armed with a knife, was smoking with an unknown woman in an alleyway near the mum's house in Rusholme.
Burton, 48, a former security supervisor, shouted abuse at her as she moved to a nearby shop. After coming back out, she again saw the pair in the alleyway off Carlton Avenue.
The woman told the mum 'snitches get stitches' while Burton brandished the knife. The mum called her son for help. Before he arrived, she bravely decided to follow Burton after seeing he had a knife.
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After noticing he was being followed, Burton told her: "Follow me again and I will slice you." Her son arrived and tried to detain and disarm him, Manchester Crown Court heard.
He shouted at Burton to put the knife down, but Burton then 'lunged' towards him with the blade. Burton tried to stab him to his chest and face, prosecutor Imran Khan said.
During a scuffle he bit the man in his 20s to the hand. Burton tried to flee but the mum and son continued to follow him onto Aspinall Street.
Police arrived shortly after and Burton was found in possession of a knife, as well as five snap bags of cocaine and ketamine. The woman was able to escape and has not been traced.
Burton refused to answer questions in interview with police, but gave a statement in which he said he'd been 'chilling' and smoking a cigarette with the woman prior to the incident, which happened at about noon on September 17 last year. The mum had told him and the woman that they shouldn't be there, he said.
Burton claimed he had a knife because he was going to 'cut some carpet' for a friend. At the time, Burton had no previous convictions.
His barrister, Wayne Jackson, said Burton had 'blotted his copy book in spectacular fashion'. "Mercifully in the situation he chose not to use the knife in any way," Mr Jackson added.
He said Burton had spent about three months in prison on remand, and appealed for him to receive help with a drug problem. "The courts take very seriously the production of knives in public places," sentencing judge Hilary Manley said.
"It is a big problem and an extremely dangerous way in which to behave. You were under the influence of drugs, I have no doubt about that."
Burton, of Great Western Street, Moss Side, pleaded guilty to affray, common assault, possession of a bladed article, possession of class A and B drugs and handling stolen goods. After being satisfied there was a prospect of rehabilitation, the judge sentenced him to 16 months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered him to complete a 12 month drug rehabilitation program, as well as 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 120 hours of unpaid work.
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