Teen grabbed knives in row

1:56pm Thursday 7th August 2008

A TEENAGER grabbed two kitchen knives during a violent family row over his swearing.

Liam Foster lost his temper during a phone call to a girlfriend before he verbally abused his mother and stepfather Philip Reynolds.

Mr Reynolds told him to "watch his mouth" and grabbed his shirt in a face-to-face encounter, said Kate Iliffe, prosecuting at Worcester Crown Court.

Demolition worker Foster then held a six-inch blade against his stepfather's chin but was disarmed at the family home in Doverdale Avenue, Kidderminster.

But he rearmed himself with a 12-inch knife and punched his brother Stephen Foster in the face.

Foster, 19, now of Coronation Way, Kidderminster, was given a 12-month community order for affray and assault in March this year but breached it by missing appointments with the probation service, said Miss Iliffe.

Judge Daniel Pearce-Higgins QC bailed Foster for a pre-sentence report. The case will be back in court in the week beginning September 8.

The judge said he was loathed to send Foster to detention - but warned he had to grow up and cooperate with probation.

Cathlyn Orchard, defending, said Foster was now reconciled with his family but lived with a family friend to avoid further trouble.

She said he had attended 12 appointments out of 16 but medical problems had intervened.

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