Mum and son, five, left terrified as man jumped on their car and stabbed at windscreen with large knife

The boy was screaming as William Smith slashed at their windscreen with the seven inch blade, falling off when the mum accelerated away in reverse.

The child has since suffered nightmares and has difficulty sleeping, Lincoln Crown Court heard.

Smith, 29, of Franks Close, Kirton, was jailed for 18 months after admitting charges including assault, criminal damage and possession of a knife.

Catherine Picardo, prosecuting, said that Smith told the court that Smith was so drunk he later had no memory of the incident outside his flat.

Smith had been earlier been drinking inside the flat in Franks Close with three friends.

Another resident went to intervene when he feared a fight was about to break out, but Smith then grabbed a bread knife from a kitchen drawer.

The resident tried to wrestle the knife from Smith but in doing so he suffered a cut to his finger.

Miss Piccardo said: "The man decided to keep the defendant in the flat while the three others left. Unfortunately, the defendant got outside."

The three people who had been in the flat managed to get into their car and drive off but when Smith went outside he wrongly identified another parked car which the mum and child were inside as theirs.

Miss Piccardo said: "Inside the car was a mother and her five year old son. She was taken by surprise when the defendant proceeded to jump on the bonnet of the car.“He still had the knife in his hand. He then proceeded to stab the windscreen of the car. The child screamed. He was absolutely terrified. His mother managed to reverse the car and drive off."

The woman rang police and when officers arrived at the flat they found Smith asleep.

"He didn't want to be arrested. He urinated in the police car. Once at the custody suite he took off his urine-soaked sock and threw it at the face of a police officer."

The sock hit the officer who was partly protected by the mask he was wearing.

Miss Piccardo said the incident had a serious effect on the young boy in the car resulting in him suffering nightmares and having difficulty sleeping.

The court was told Smith had 17 previous convictions for a total of 60 offences.

William Smith admitted charges of possession of a bladed article; two charges of criminal damage; threatening behaviour; common assault; and assaulting an emergency worker by beating. The offences occurred on the evening of 14 November 2020.

Neil Sands, in mitigation, told the court that Smith drank too much on the night and his drink had been adulterated with xanax tablets.

He said Smith spent 11 weeks in custody on remand and has both a job and accommodation available to him were he to be released.

"There are positives for him to come out to. Mr Smith appears to have grown up somewhat during his time on remand. He may well be turning a corner."