A Gwynedd man who terrified four youngsters in a car and held a knife to the throat of one of them has been branded dangerous.

Paul Anthony Jones received an extended sentence for the protection of the public.

Jones, aged 34, of Gallt y Sil in Caernarfon, had admitted affray and threatening another with a knife at an earlier hearing.

Mold Crown Court heard on May 8 some young people were in a car at a beauty spot near Deiniolen.

Jones and another man approached and Jones was said to be angry, demanding to know the address of some other youngsters he blamed for robbing his mother.

Prosecuting barrister Jade Tufail said that Jones,  became truly threatening and told one victim: “You had better tell me or you will not be going home today.”

He got a large knife out of his jacket and held it against the victim.

A second man, Dylan Iwan Lloyd, 29, of Constantine Terrace in Caernarfon, admitted a charge of threatening behaviour.

He was said to have been aggressive and shouting, had driven Jones there, but when he saw the knife told Jones to put it away.

Judge Niclas Parry said that both were to varying degrees involved in a frightening incident of public disorder.

Jones was seeking revenge in what was a pre-planned act when he had armed himself with a knife.

He persuaded Lloyd to drive him and on arrival, Jones threatened the complaints with a knife, the judge said.

The knife was put against the throat of one of the victims.

“They were begging you not to harm them,” he said. One feared that he might be killed.

His demeanour indicated that he was under the influence of illicit substances and out of control of his senses.

“In that condition, you could have caused serious injury,” he said.

His position was aggravated by his appalling list of previous convictions, including two affrays, an unprovoked attack with a metal bar, an assault on a woman which involved setting her hair alight and threatening a man with a knife.

He had been subject to an extended sentence for the protection of the public.

Judge Parry said he was entirely satisfied Jones posed a significant risk and sentenced him under the dangerousness provisions and imposed a three-year prison sentence and extended his licence by three years – which makes it formally a six-year sentence.

Lloyd, who admitted a public order offence, had played a quite different role, the judge said.

It was accepted he did not know Jones had a knife and when he saw the weapon was heard to shout at Jones to put it away.

Lloyd received a four-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months with 240 hours unpaid work and £800 costs.

Henry Hills, for Jones, said he understood that such “vigilante action” was wholly unacceptable.

At the time his emotions were clouded. He had lost his grandmother, his relationship with his girlfriend had ended and he had just lost his job.

They were not excuses but showed why he behaved as he did.