A SOCIAL worker felt threatened and thought she may be assaulted after a man she was visiting held a belt above his head in what he later described as a “prank”.

Carlisle Magistrates’ Court heard the woman went to the address of Nathan Joseph Dixon, 25, on May 3 this year.

She was accompanied by a housing officer and the intention was to speak with Dixon.

He invited them into the address and was sat in the kitchen. “As (the social worker) has approached Mr Dixon, he is described as standing up, pulling a black leather belt out of his jacket and holding it above his head,” said prosecutor George Shelley.

Dixon reportedly said: “You f*** with me life and I’ll f*** with yours, you got me sectioned.”

The social worker feared at that time she would be assaulted and moved into a corner of the room. As she and the housing officer made to leave the property, they had to push past Dixon, who was still holding the belt above his head.

“She questioned his behaviour and said she felt uneasy and threatened by his actions,” added Mr Shelley.

In court, Dixon, previously of Carlisle and now of Lochinvar Close, Longtown, admitted a charge of common assault.

He was represented in court by defence lawyer John Smith.

“The circumstances are generally not in dispute,” Mr Smith told magistrates. “What you need to know is that before this had happened Nathan had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

"You also need to know that when Nathan was spoken to about this incident he said that it was a prank.

“He had told his mother in advance that he was going to play a prank on (the social worker). “There is planning, I suppose, but it is the playing of a prank. He is clear in his mind there is no physical contact.”

Mr Smith added: “He can’t behave in this sort of way. It will have consequences.”

The court heard Dixon had 15 previous convictions for 26 offences but was currently engaged with project workers who were seeking to help him.

Magistrates fined Dixon £120 and also ordered him to pay £50 compensation to the social worker. Dixon’s total court bill also includes a mandatory surcharge and prosecution costs.