A BINMAN has been jailed for brandishing a knuckleduster during a fight in a busy street packed with partygoers.

Grant Smith, 34, threatened to use the weapon in an altercation between a large group of people in busy East Street, Brighton.

Smith had to be floored by door staff as they were in fear he was going to punch someone while wearing the knuckledusters.

He pleaded guilty at Brighton Magistrates’ Court yesterday to possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and using threatening behaviour with intent to provoke violence.

Smith, of Western Road, St Leonards, had just left a nightclub in East Street when he became involved in an altercation between two groups of people near the Queen’s Hotel at around 2.20am on December 18.

The court heard men wrapped belts around their hands and Smith put a knuckleduster on his hand.

Door staff witnessing the incident on CCTV described Smith hiding his knuckleduster behind his back, moving back and forth threatening the opposing group, before he swung his arm out towards them.

Suzanne Soros, prosecuting, said: “He went to an area containing nightclubs and bars and behaved in a manner so threatening and provoked unlawful violence.

“There was no other reason for possession of the knuckleduster than to cause injury.”

Fearing Smith might hurt somebody, door staff jumped on him to bring to the ground and detain him until police arrived and arrested.

Rosalind Crook, defending, said: “Mr Smith had gone out with a group of friends to a nightclub and when they left there was fight between his group of people.

“The knuckleduster wasn’t his but he accepts he had it on him.

“For the majority of the time he was trying to break up the fight.”

During the hearing Smith, who was wearing a Stone Island jumper, was threatened with contempt of court charges after he was suspected of using his phone to video in court.

Smith, who can not read or write, has a long list with 26 convictions, including being caught with pepper spray in 2006.

Chairman of magistrates Gary Gates gave Smith a jail term as required for a second conviction for possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

He will serve 21 weeks for the offence to run concurrently with 11 weeks for threatening behaviour with intent to provoke unlawful violence.