A retired teacher who pulled out a blade in a Newcastle pub for the second time has been given one last chance to keep his freedom.
After ending his career in education, Jeremiah Fitzgibbon's life went into a downward spiral due to alcohol.
He was already on a community order for having a knife in one pub when he pulled one out in Rosie's Bar, in Newcastle city centre.
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Fitzgibbon, 68, of Hawthorn Terrace, Elswick, Newcastle, was facing a mandatory minimum sentence of six months for his second conviction for possessing a bladed article.
But a judge at Newcastle Crown Court deferred sentence until May to give him a chance to prove he can stay out of trouble and abide by the community order he was already subject to.
John Crawford, prosecuting, said it was on October 3 last year around 9.15pm when the latest offence happened.
CCTV shows him sitting with two men, who didn't know him and he was being loud.
Mr Crawford said: "He pulled a small silver knife out of his pocket and waved it in an area immediately in front of the two men's chests.
"One got up and grabbed the arm that had the knife in it.
"Bar staff tried to remove it from his grip but were not able to."
Police were called and arrested him and he replied "guilty".
The court heard he has 28 previous convictions, including for possessing a knife in The Mile Castle pub, on Westgate Road.
Ian Hudson, defending, said: "He is a drunken, lonely old man.
"He is physically ill and has a cocktail of problems, including heart disease, diabetes and prostate cancer.
"He is a retired teacher. Retired, bang, alcohol."
Fitzgibbon's sentence was deferred until May 6.
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