A man grieving over his wife’s suicide attacked his sister at their mother’s home and threatened to knife her.
Stephen Pite (43) still hasn’t come to terms with the loss of his wife four years ago, is suffering from depression and lost his temper with his sister when they visited their mother’s home in Oakley Drive, Spalding, on December 21.
Jim Clare, prosecuting, told Spalding magistrates that Pite was “effing and blinding” and his sister, Susan Davies, tried to talk to him.
Pite lunged at her, calling her a slag, and grabbed her around the throat.
Their mother tried to get him off and heard Pite threatening to knife Mrs Davies.
Mrs Davies bit Pite between the thumb and forefinger.
He let go but grabbed her again.
Mrs Clare said Pite threatened to cut his sister open and repeated a similar threat against Ms Davies and her partner.
Reading from Mrs Davies’ statement, Mr Clare said Pite told her: “I will come round on Christmas Day and cut you and Justin open.”
He said Mrs Davies sustained only minor injuries, but it was the nature of the incident that concerned her.
Magistrates on Thursday adjourned the case to January 31 for a pre-sentence report.
Pite, of Rowley Road, Boston, admitted common assault.
Solicitor Rachel Stevens, mitigating, said Pite denied making any threats to kill.
He had been drinking that day, but wasn’t drunk.
Miss Stevens said Pite’s GP considers his depression to be too severe to be treated with anti-depressants because of a suicide risk.
He was “overwhelmed” by the loss of his wife four years ago and appears still to be so.
She said: “He is a man who is still grieving and struggling to come to terms with the situation.”