A DRUNKEN man terrorised people by waving a knife at them as he rampaged through a Hampshire town in a misguided bid to reunite his estranged mother and father, a court was told.

Gary Hall terrified groups of children, a cyclist, motorists and a mother as he ran a mile or so along the streets.

He was on his way to see his mother to try and persuade her she should separate from her lover and get together again with his father.

On the way he shouted at himself and to others who got in his way by accident. He caused drivers to brake suddenly, a cyclist to fall over, scared a 13-year-old girl by his threats to no- one in particular and chased a group of boys who described himself as a 'loony' because he was shouting to himself, said prosecutor Stuart Ellacott.

He yelled out he was going to knife someone as he ran along Chester Road, Copse Lane, Rowner Road and St Nicholas Avenue, Gosport, and ended up at his mother's home at nearby Handsbridge Crescent.

There he discovered his mother was out and held the knife to his mother's new partner, then ran away without hurting him. The victim chased him for a while from the house.

Hall returned to his father's house and said he had done it for his father because he loved him.

He then told his father to call the police.

Portsmouth Crown Court Judge Recorder John Dixon was told the attempt to reunite his parents was futile because his father had remarried.

Hall admitted two charges of affray and one of possessing a knife in public. Recorder Dixon sentenced Hall to a two-year community rehabilitation order, having heard he had already served six months in prison on remand since the offence in January.

The judge told Hall: "You were fuelled by drink and drugs and in a distraught and volatile state. You were ranting and raving and waving a knife at the public in general.

"You were also abusive and aggressive and scared everyone, including your stepfather.

"You have been badly affected by the break-up of your family and are terribly unhappy.

"You take this resentment that they have separated out on your mother and father. On this occasion you took refuge in drugs and drink, resulting in a catastrophic outcome."