A ROW following a game of dominoes ended in a man putting a knife to a fellow drinker's throat, a court heard.

Appearing at Mold Crown Court, Brian Ralph, of Swan Bank, Pool Quay, pleaded guilty to two charges linked to threatening with a bladed article, after the incident at the Powis Arms pub on May 24.

Andrew Green, prosecuting, said the victim, David Thomas, had entered the pub at around 8.30pm that evening and had later "had words" with Ralph, 55, after an incident involving him and Mr Thomas' wife who had been playing dominoes.

Mr Thomas had carried on drinking and had drunk seven pints of beer when shortly before 11pm, he was facing the bar when he heard a voice behind him say: "I have a knife to your throat and I could've stabbed you in the back".

Feeling the knife against his skin, Mr Thomas lifted his left hand up between the weapon, which was described as a kitchen knife, and his throat and grabbed it, causing a cut to his thumb, before putting it on the bar.

Mr Green said the two men then began wrestling, with Mr Thomas pinning Ralph, who also bit the victim's fingers during the scuffle, to the floor, before the pair were separated by other pub goers and the police were called.

Ralph was later arrested in the early hours of the morning at his home address, but denied all knowledge of the incident.

Sentencing Ralph, who had no previous convictions, Judge Huw Rees, said: "You have a lot of credit in the bank when it comes to your good character, but you must understood that carrying a knife is very dangerous.

"It has the capacity to cause an extreme escalation of violence."

Ralph, was handed a 12 month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work. He was also told not to have any direct contact with Mr Thomas.

"Hopefully the two of you might eventually be able to shake hands," added Judge Rees.