A TEENAGER threatened to “shank" and "cut up” an RAF veteran during a terrifying ordeal in the street.

Ashton Evans, 18, pointed a knife at Andrew Doody  outside a shop in the centre of Cross Keys last month.

The confrontation happened after the victim had just parked his car and went to buy a drink at a convenience store when the defendant came out of the shop.

The two had been involved in “an incident” previously, Newport Crown Court was told.

Harriet Ealden, prosecuting, told: “The defendant said to Mr Doody, ‘Stand back or I’ll shank you bro.’

“He reached into his waistband and pulled out a kitchen knife and he pointed it at him.

“The knife was approximately six inches in length and the victim was about 10 to 12 feet away.

“The defendant was shouting and threatened, ‘I will cut you up.’

“The victim felt very scared and there were children in the vicinity.”

Evans then put the blade in a sheath and walked off.

Delivery driver Mr Doody called the police and the defendant was arrested that night.

He told officers he was carrying the knife for his own protection.

The victim suffers from PTSD and had served in the Middle East and Northern Ireland with the RAF Regiment.

“This incident has a great effect on me,” he said in a statement read to the court.

“I’ve had sleepless nights and I now fear for my safety.

“It was the action of a coward.”

Evans, of North Road, Pontywaun, Caerphilly pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article in public and common assault committed on May 21.

The defendant had one previous conviction for two offences which were possession of bladed article in public and inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Those offences were committed when he was 15 and he was sentenced to a 10-month referral order.

Richard Ace representing Evans asked the court to take into account his client’s young age and guilty pleas and urged that he be given “one last chance” at rehabilitation.

He added that Evans is an IT student who is hoping to go to university.

The judge, Recorder Bruce Gardiner, told the defendant: “Mr Doody was understandably scared for his own safety.”

Evans was sent to a young offender institution for 10 months and made the subject of a three-year restraining order not to contact his victim.