Man allegedly threatened to ‘bottle’ taxi driver, trial hears

A man threatened a shopkeeper with a knife and told a taxi driver he was going to “bottle” him during a violent incident in an Ipswich street, it has been alleged.

Derrel Youngs was allegedly seen throwing bottles and shouting and swearing by a taxi driver who was standing with his young son talking to some friends in Surrey Road, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

When the taxi driver tried to calm him down, Youngs allegedly threatened to “bottle” him and shortly afterwards he was seen arguing with a shopkeeper at the junction of Surrey Road and Sirdar Road, said Matthew Sorel-Cameron, prosecuting.

Youngs allegedly said he was “going to kill everyone” and had then produced a large knife measuring around 40cm and pointed it at the shopkeeper.

Youngs had also allegedly continued to shout and throw things around hitting cars, said Mr Sorel-Cameron.

The police were called and an officer allegedly saw Youngs taking off his jumper and throwing it into a garden in Bulwer Road.

When the officer looked in the garden, she also found some tracksuit bottoms and a t-shirt which matched the description of the clothing worn by the man seen with the knife in Surrey Road, said Mr Sorel-Cameron.

Other officers located Youngs at his grandfather’s house in Bulwer Road and described him as being “agitated and sweating”.

Youngs was arrested and declined to answer questions during interview.

He was later picked out in a video identification procedure by the taxi driver.

Youngs, 28, of no fixed address, has denied affray and threatening a person with a knife.

The trial continues.