Chips row woman avoids jail after knife threat

A WOMAN who threatened to kill a homeless man after he declined her offer of some chips has avoided being sent to prison.

Bristol Crown Court heard Briggette Saunders, 36, pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour and assault in August last year after an incident in Nailsea High Street.

Saunders saw a man who was homeless called Steven Higgins in the doorway of Waitrose in Nailsea, and offered him chips.

But after he said no, she became agitated and he mentioned her to the police, the court heard.

Though she was told that her gesture was nice but unwanted, she later lunged at Mr Higgins with a blade.

Saunders, of Clevedon Road in Nailsea, had her sentence deferred to yesterday.

At her original case, Julian Howells, prosecuting, said Saunders offered Mr Higgins a box of chips.

She later returned with a bottle of vodka and more chips, and when he again said ‘no thanks’ she threatened to kill him.

He spoke to police and police spoke to Saunders, the court heard.

Later Saunders was holding a steak knife when she went ‘nose to nose’ with Mr Higgins, saying: “I’m going to kill you, you’re a police grass,” Mr Howells said.

She was seen to lunge at him with the blade some four times but he managed to dodge her.

Later at Patchway custody suite, she flung out her arm and caught custody officer Jennifer Eaton in the eye.

Farah Rashid, defending, said her client suffered from mental health and physical difficulties.

Judge Peter Blair jailed Saunders for ten months, suspended for 12 months, and ordered her to complete 25 days of rehabilitation.

Sohail Braakman had to commute from his family home in Amsterdam as he struggled to find accommodation in Bristol before beginning his studies