A judge has told a daycentre worker to "sort yourself out" after he avoided going to prison for threatening a man with a knife while out walking his Mastiff-type dog.

Victor Lloyd had already drunk two vodka and cokes for lunch when he pulled out a lock knife and jabbed three or four time towards his victim Andy Warren on December 2 last year.

The pair ended up struggling on the ground near Llanidloes Fire Station with Mr Warren kicking and punching to defend himself before a frightened woman told Lloyd to put the knife away.

Lloyd, of Cwmdu, Llanidloes, was sentenced to eight months in prison which was suspended for 18 months following what the judge said was a "fanciful trial of issue".

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His Honour Judge Niclas Parry said: "Vodka at lunchtime and dogs usually means trouble. I sentence you against a background where things were not good with you and the victim.

"That lady who asked you to put the knife away didn’t deserve being frightened in that way.

"You used a knife to threaten in the middle of a melee nevertheless dreadful things could have happened because you had that open knife.

"You’re 64, sort yourself out."

Prosecuting barrister Simon Mintz told Mold Crown Court on Thursday, June 20, that there had been "difficulties" between Lloyd and Mr Warren in the past. The pair had come across each other walking on a path near Station Building.

"Mr Warren stood aside and took his phone out to allow the defendant and his dog to pass," Mr Mintz said.

"But the defendant became abusive telling the victim that he was a “f***ing idiot”.

"Mr Warren warned that he was filming and would report it to the police.

"The defendant then lunged at him arms flailing and Mr Warren tripped over a shopping bag and kicked out in self-defence.

"The defendant produced an open lock knife jabbing it three to four times towards Mr Warren with a distance of a metre.

"Both ended up struggling on the ground. Mr Warren was kicking and punching to defend himself.

"A woman who knew the defendant witnessed the incident and told him to put the knife away.

"Mr Warren later said he was left feeling shocked and shaken up with a grazed knee.

"Later that day the defendant was arrested at home."

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Thomas Mcloughlin, acting on behalf of Lloyd, told the court that it was a "serious lapse of judgement".

"He just so happened to come across the victim and it escalated," the barrister said about the part-time daycentre worker who also cares for his elderly mother.

Sentencing Lloyd, the judge said that anybody who opens and threatens a person in public with a knife "must face a custodial sentence".

Judge Parry took in consideration that sending Lloyd to prison would have an impact on the care of his unwell mother, and that he would only be released from custody within a few weeks.

Lloyd was ordered to complete 100 of unpaid work as part of his suspended sentence order.