A drunken man who chased a group of children while armed with a knife has been jailed for 12 months.
Vivian Paul Mackey (55) was first seen brandishing the six-inch blade in a park in Coalville at 8pm on August 29.
He spoke to a man with two women friends in the park, saying: "No-one is going to touch me tonight," before producing the weapon.
The three people backed away and the police were called.
Alan Murphy, prosecuting, said: "The defendant walked off towards a nearby Chinese takeaway, where there was a group of about 15 children.
"He pulled out the knife and started chasing them."
A passer-by confronted Mackey, who hid the knife behind his back.
The man told him it was against the law to carry a knife.
Mackey told him: "Yes, but I've got people after me."
Mr Murphy said he then disturbingly said: "The ambulance is here and people are going to end up inside it, and it's not going to be me."
Mackey went towards the man, who dodged out of the way, before he threw the blade down.
The police arrived, recovered the knife and arrested him.
In interview, Mackey said he took the knife out intending to harm himself, but accepted showing it to a number of people.
Mr Murphy said: "He told the police he brandished it at the children because he wanted them to leave him alone.
"He then suggested he had a mental illness and demons in his head were why he took the knife out."
Mackey, of Winford Crescent, Coalville, admitted threatening behaviour and possessing an offensive weapon. Leicester Crown Court was told he had previously been jailed for making threats to kill.
While on bail, when being assessed for psychiatric treatment within the community, he allegedly re-offended and was remanded into custody.
Sentencing, Judge Michael Pert QC said: "Having adjourned this case last time to explore non-custodial alternatives, you've now thrown away the opportunity to prove you can behave yourself, by not doing so.
"You know how dangerous it is to go wandering around with a knife, particularly when drunk."
Carl Gaskell, mitigating, said Mackey was due before city magistrates in relation to two assaults allegedly committed on bail. He said: "He's very apologetic. His problem is drink. He's been on a detoxification programme while in custody and wants to continue when he's released."
