A Halloween high school disco ended in fright – when a hammer-wielding man turned up, a court has heard.

Stephen Griffiths, aged 36, of Plas Road, Rhyl, had seen “red” and went to confront a boy of 13 before an assistant head intervened, magistrates at Llandudno were told. Griffiths, however, denied a charge of having an offensive weapon on school premises and threatening someone with the hammer.

Defence solicitor Chris Dawson said, while Griffiths accepted he “foolishly armed himself with a hammer,” the prosecution had to prove there was an immediate risk of serious harm to someone else.

Griffiths maintained he didn’t intend to cause serious harm to anyone.

Mr Dawson explained: "What is in issue is whether there was an immediate risk of serious physical harm to anyone.”

The defendant agreed to a trial before the magistrates and was bailed until February.

Agreeing to hear the trial, court chairman David Subacchi warned him :”If you are convicted after a trial and the Bench even at that late stage decide the powers of this court are insufficient, you may still be sent to the crown court for sentencing.”

Sheyanne Lee, for the prosecution, had submitted that the case should be heard at the crown court.

But Mr Dawson urged the magistrates to consider the case carefully and said Griffiths was of previous good character.

The solicitor explained the background to Griffiths going to the school when a Halloween disco was held and maintained he hadn’t intended to use the hammer.

The lawyer questioned whether the court would feel bound to jail Griffiths for at least six months if he were convicted of the offence.

Griffiths claimed the teenage boy ran off laughing. Mr Dawson added that the magistrates could still convict Griffiths of the lesser offence of possessing the hammer.