A MAN from Newton Abbot threatened to cut off someone’s head during a drunken outburst in Teignmouth, a court heard.

Torquay magistrates heard that Ashley Phipps-Warren 31, of 16 Jellicoe Road, had no recollection of making such comments.

He said he was not shocked by his remarks as he often said ‘foolish things’ after drinking too much.

‘It’s just drunken stupidity,’ he said, adding that he didn’t want anyone ever to feel affected by such threats.

The court heard last Thursday that Phipps-Warren’s verbal assault was made at Teignmouth’s Dicey O’Reilly’s pub in Regent Street on November 10.

Philip Sewell, prosecuting, said the defendant had gone to the pub with a friend. His verbally abusive behaviour had prompted the landlord to tell him to leave. Outside he continued shouting that he was going to cut someone’s head off. He was later arrested near the scene by police.

The court was told Phipps-Warren had not been in trouble since 2011. He had abstained from alcohol for a year, but the Teignmouth incident was ‘a moment of weakness.’

He told the court: ‘I am very sorry - and I will do my best to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Things are getting better - but this is serious.

‘Take away this matter, and things have got a lot better. But this has set me back quite a bit.’

Phipps-Warren, a carer for a friend, admitted being drunk and disorderly.

He was given a six-months conditional discharge and excluded for six months from Dicey O’Reilly’s.

He was also ordered to pay £205 in charges and costs.