A schoolboy ran for his life after being chased through the streets of Norwich by a man wielding a knife, a court has heard.

The pupil was dressed in full uniform and on his way to school at about 7.45am when he came across George Williams, 22, who he saw kicking a door in Bassingham Road, Mile Cross.

Norwich Crown Court heard the boy had been on the phone to his father at the time but was warned by friends of Williams he "better not be phoning the police".

Danielle O'Donovan, prosecuting, said the boy showed them his phone to prove he was not calling the police but Williams took a large knife from his waistband and pointed it at the boy.

She said the boy ran away but was chased by Williams who was still holding the knife as he ran down the road after him.

Miss O'Donovan said the boy phoned his father who came out to find his son being chased by Williams with a knife before he himself was then chased by the defendant.

She said the boy "feared for his life" during the incident and later described how he was "scared" and "thought the man was going to kill me if I didn't run away".

Following that incident on March 9 last year, Williams was seen by a couple about an hour later when he was involved in a domestic argument with a girl who they heard saying "leave me alone" and "get away from me".

The couple intervened but were threatened by Williams who made out that he would pull a knife on them.

Williams, of Jamieson Place, Norwich, appeared at court on Thursday (April 21) for sentencing having admitted two counts of threatening a person with a blade.

He had also pleaded guilty to two counts of using threatening words or behaviour on March 9 last year.

Jailing him for a total of 20 months Judge Alice Robinson described the offences as "very frightening" in which a boy had been "running for his life".

John Morgans, mitigating, said the defendant knew he had committed "some serious mistakes" but insisted Williams, who was only 22, accepted responsibility.

Mr Morgans said he was "ashamed" of what he did and knows it "could have led to terrible consequences".