A VALLEYS woman who “petrified” children by threatening a man with a kitchen knife was jailed for nine months yesterday.

Mother-of-four Deborah Eyre, 41, of Mynyddislwyn Close, Pontllanfraith, admitted affray on August 26 last year when she threatened Richard Williams with the knife in a drunken argument on St Sannon Road in the town. Due to face trial at Newport Crown Court, she pleaded guilty to affray at the last minute.

After drinking heavily, she became involved in an argument with Mr Williams, which led to her leaving the scene and returning with a knife.

Andrew Jones, defending, said: “The witnesses all say that the matter was over in seconds, not a prolonged upset of threatening behaviour. It’s a kitchen knife taken from the kitchen in the heat of an argument and, your honour will no doubt have gathered, by a woman heavily in drink.

“She’s a woman who has abused substances: heroin, crack cocaine, meow-meow and amphetamines. In the early 90s, her five-year-old son suffered a traumatic death. He was strangled with a cord and a hoodie at an electric sub-station. They were unable to retrieve her son’s body because his body had fallen into the substation. The lady has spent the last 20 years taking illicit substances.”

Recorder David Miller added: “You were subject to a community order at the time you committed that offence.

“You were drunk and you became involved in a confrontation with another member of the public and in the presence of children. You returned to a private address, got a knife, came out of your garden and approached the person with whom you had had a dispute.

“Children were petrified and left the scene. I’m satisfied this is an affray involving a risk of serious injury.”