A PORTISHEAD man has narrowly avoided being sent to prison after cutting his own throat and threatening his ex-girlfriend with a knife.

Peter Wright appeared at Bristol Crown Court on April 14 to be sentenced for charges of affray and assault in connection with the incident involving Maxine Grantham.

The 26-year-old of Tydeman Road had gone to her house after drinking and refused to leave before holding a knife to his throat and then to her neck.

Despite being locked out of the back of the house, he scaled the garden wall and came back in through the front to find another knife and again pin Ms Grantham against the wall.

During the attack on February 6, Wright also threatened to kill Ms Grantham’s son, who has cerebral palsy.

After the incident, she was left with a four inch abrasion on her neck and Wright had a cut across the length of his throat.

At a previous hearing, it was heard that Wright had changed his depression medication that day and knew he should not have been drinking alcohol with it.

On April 14, Wright was handed a 12-month prison sentence suspended for 24 months and also a restraining order.