A drunken thug thrown out of a Chartham pub after using another man’s phone returned later with an axe and a machete.

Canterbury magistrates heard that Scott Caldwell, 23, had collected the weapons from his son’s house nearby before going back to The Local in Cockering Road on the evening of April 27.

Police were called and Caldwell disposed of the weapons, later claiming he didn’t know what he was going to do with them.

Prosecutor Neil Sweeney said officers had been called out at 7.30pm that night after reports that a fight was going to take place in the car park.

“There had been a minor argument about inappropriate phone use whereby this defendant had used another man’s phone and then wanted to be called back on it,” Mr Sweeney said.

“The pub had thrown him out and he returned armed with two axes.”

Mr Sweeney said one of the weapons was a billhook, a kind of machete with a large curved blade at the end, and a North American tomahawk.

When he saw police, Caldwell dropped the tomahawk and threw the billhook away.

He was then arrested and at court admitted two counts of possessing a knife or bladed article in public.

Mr Sweeney went on: “After arrest, he tells police the bloke with the phone had come over and started so he went to his son’s house and picked up the axe and machete because they were the first things he saw.

“He admitted he was angry with the landlord, but says he would not have hurt him.

“He says he keeps the weapons at home and uses them for chopping wood.”

The court heard that Caldwell has previous convictions for theft, criminal damage and possessing drugs.

Mr Sweeney added: “The Crown would say this is a serious matter as he was under the influence of drink and armed himself with weapons.”

Caldwell, who now lives in Clover Court, Ashford, will be sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court later in the year.

He was released on bail with a condition not to go to The Local, which used to be known as The Fagge Arms.