A man who threatened the son of the owner of the Mustard Pot pub in Whinburgh with two knives while off his medication was stopped with a 'kick to the pelvic area', a court has heard.

28-year-old Ben Pledger, who suffers from 'difficult mental health issues', had been bullied by two other men, Norwich Magistrates Court heard on Tuesday.

The situation escalated on July 20, after a 'malicious rumour' was spread of an affair between the owner's son and the manager, prosecutor Wayne Ablett told the court.

He said 'problems' between Pledger and the Mustard Pot's manager had caused her to leave the pub.

Around 7pm on July 20 the owner's son Nathan Sieley confronted Pledger in the pub car park and told him to leave the Mustard Pot, where he had been living at the time.

'Mr Sieley describes him as becoming agitated, throwing his arms around and becoming angry, getting in his face to the extent he had to be pushed away,' said Mr Ablett.

'At that point Mr Pledger produced a knife in his right hand, blade pointed towards the victim. He then lunged at him with the blade towards him stomach area.

'The victim reacted by knocking the knife out of his hand, but Mr Pledger reached into his sock and retrieved another knife. The victim then kicked Mr Pledger with considerable force to the pelvic area.'

Pledger proceeded to chase the victim, 'shouting threats that he was going to stab him and cut him up,' Mr Ablett added.

Sally Dale, mitigating, said Pledger had armed himself with the knives after being threatened by the victims previously.

'He has been the victim of some substantial bullying by the victims in this case,' she told the court. 'That is why he felt the need to arm himself. He describes himself as a scrawny guy, and the other two are bulkier types.

'He put it to me he has been seriously threatened by them before, and believed them.

'He suffers from quite difficult mental health issues, and he was off his anti-psychotic medication and not thinking properly. He would not normally behave like this by any means.'

Pledger, of Neatherd Road, Dereham, admitted possessing a bladed article and threatening behaviour.

His case was sent to Norwich Crown Court for sentencing at a later date after magistrates declined jurisdiction, with conditions not to go to the Mustard Pot or contact the complainants in the case.