A man was caught brandishing a machete in a public place but he denied trying to threaten Police, a court heard yesterday.

Tio Tyione Weeks, 32, of Middle Town Lane, in Pembroke, was caught last Sunday near Ewing Street.

Weeks, who has a number of other violent convictions on his record, appeared in Magistrates' Court yesterday, a day after he was given a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 24 months, for breaking into a Pembroke home and stealing $1,250 worth of jewellery and cash.

The court heard that around 2.30 p.m. on Sunday, Police were stopped twice by people complaining about an "angry" man yielding a machete.

Police saw the suspect and stopped him and told him to stand still, but he continued walking into a nearby driveway.

He was cautioned again at which point the suspect, Weeks, replied: "Don't f*** with me today I'm not in the mood."

According to evidence read out in court, Weeks pulled a machete out of his waist band and held it above his head.

Officers warned him they were armed, at which point he took off on foot, dropping the weapon in a nearby yard.

Officers chased him and eventually cornered him. "I give up," said Weeks. "I don't want you to shoot me."

He was taken to Hamilton Police Station and charged with possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.

In court yesterday he said: "I really didn't offensively put the machete up to the officers. I put up my hands to give up."

He continued: "I was going to work. If you saw the trees I had to cut down, then you would see I needed help. I am not in any gang or nothing where I need a machete to chop people up. I am a father of two boys. That's all I am trying to do, is work and take care of my kids."

Weeks admitted to having a bladed article in his possession, but disputed some of the facts put to him in court yesterday.

As a result there will be a hearing on Thursday to determine the proper sentencing for the offence.