A drugged-up motorhome owner grabbed a knife and chased after another camper in his pick-up van, a court heard.

Russell Peter Jones grabbed the knife when Martin Hull came calling at his van in response to a late-night disturbance on a caravan park at Pensarn near Abergele.

Mr Hull fled in his car but was chased by the defendant who veered his vehicle into a hedge.

Jones, 31, of Glan Y Gors, Prestatyn admitted threatening behaviour, driving while unfit through drugs, possession of cocaine and possession of a bladed article.

Judge Rhys Rowlands said that usually those offenders who took knives out onto the streets received custodial sentences. But he stepped back from imposing one on the civil engineer and suspended his 10-month-prison sentence for two years.

Prosecutor Jo Maxwell said that Mr Hull, who was camping in a tent, heard cries for help and crashing sounds coming from Jones’ motorhome in the early hours of September 16 last year.

When he went to its side door Jones appeared, but he was struggling with his words and he then picked up a kitchen knife and held it out in his right hand.

“Mr Hull ran away, but the defendant came out to the pick-up and followed him down a lane. He said he was scared after being threatened by the knife,” said the prosecutor.

When police arrived Jones was found in a nearby field and the knife was discovered in the pick-up.

Jones told police he was delusional and in fear of being attacked in his motorhome.

Defence barrister Simon Rogers said that Jones had suffered a very serious injury as a teenager which had caused him a great deal of pain for years.

“He has self-medicated as the pain has worsened which explains his misuse of drugs,” said Mr Rogers, who added that his client had now referred himself to the agency CAIS for help with his drug problems.

“This is really out of character and he has no previous convictions,” added the barrister.

Judge Rowlands said: “You were behaving oddly clearly under the influence of drugs.

“You picked up a kitchen knife and you ran to the pick-up and followed him in it with the knife in the central console.”

Jones was hit with a £4,000 fine and banned from the road for 12 months. He was also told to pay a contribution to court costs of £350.