Tattoo man arrested after knife attack

A court has heard how a man took a knife from the kitchen of a Bath bar before brandishing it at a customer.

Paul Perkins had been drinking heavily when he removed the seven-inch knife from the kitchen and approached the man with it.

The 50-year-old, of Middlewood Close, Rush Hill, Bath, had to be disarmed by staff at the Real Italian Bar in Terrace Walk.

He was arrested and later pleaded guilty to one charge of possessing a bladed article and one public order offence.

James Haskell, prosecuting at Bristol Crown Court, said Perkins had been in the Real Italian Bar on January 12 this year when a member of staff noticed he was getting increasingly drunk and texted her boss for him to attend.

He said that that evening, customer Simon Oakley came into the bar and started chatting to the heavily-tattooed defendant, known as Boo.

“At that stage Perkins went downstairs leading to the bathroom and kitchen area and moments later returned carrying a seven-inch kitchen knife.

“A witness said he had an odd smile on his face when he looked at Mr Oakley. He came towards Mr Oakley with the knife,” said Mr Haskell.

He said the weapon had been taken off him by staff but that Perkins then grabbed Mr Oakley and pulled him to the floor.

Perkins was then taken off the premises and police arrived and arrested him.

He told officers he had drank a lot of lager and was taking medication for his bipolar condition, which had caused him to behave as he had.

Nicholas O’Brien, defending, said his client was not a violent man but an ill man. He said that despite his menacing appearance, Perkins was actually a nervous person.

He said Perkins realised he drank too much and that that affected his medication and he had since improved.

Recorder Mr Martin Meeke QC adjourned Perkins’ sentencing to July 23 for further medical information to be obtained.