A Southampton man who followed his victim into a taxi to try and stab him has been spared jail.
Carl Quist, 20, followed the man armed with a multi-tool containing a knife on Queensway in Southampton.
The pair had been caught arguing on CCTV before Quist was seen chasing the man with the weapon.
The victim then got into a taxi to get away but Quist followed him leading to a further row in the car.
After getting out the taxi, a “scuffle” broke out with Quist lunging towards the man several times with the knife.
The victim walked away with injuries as police arrived.
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Quist, of West Quay Road, tried to get rid of the weapon by throwing it into a construction site.
He was arrested by police using Tasers.
Prosecuting, Matthew Lawson told Southampton Crown Court officers had to return the next day to find the multi-tool.
He added that both the victim and passers-by “would have been caused serious distress”.
But mitigating, Khalad Missouri disputed that the victim would have been distressed, adding that it was the defendant who had backed off.
He said: “[The] aggrieved goes for the defendant and the defendant has to back off.”
He said the victim was “a lot bigger” than his client who has had a “challenging background” and has worked since the age of 16.
The incident took place at around 10pm on August 27.
Quist later pleaded guilty to affray and possession of a bladed article.
Judge Nicholas Rowland said: “Members of the public in Southampton are entitled to walk up and down the high street without seeing episodes like this taking place.”
He accepted that there were “little to no” injuries caused and said there is a prospect of rehabilitation.
Quist was jailed for eight months suspended for 18 months and must carry out 150 hours of unpair work.
He must carry out a Thinking Skills programme and compete 25 rehabilitation days.
A deprivation order was made for the multi-tool.
Quist has previous offences for burglary in 2018 and 2021 as well as a caution as a youth for assault.
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