A 57-year-old has denied threatening a man with a samurai sword and destroying his phone.

Paul Wilson, of Boundary Way, Watford, appeared in St Albans Magistrates’ Court on April 14 and pleaded not guilty to three charges. 

He is next set to appear for trial, in St Albans Crown Court, on May 15.

Mr Wilson is charged with possessing a samurai sword in a public place in Hertfordshire, threatening a man with a samurai sword in a public place in Watford, and destroying a phone worth £100 belonging to the same individual.

He denied all three charges during his court appearance, which related to alleged offences on October 13, 2021.

The alleged threats were made "in such a way that a reasonable person who was exposed to the same threat would think that there was an immediate risk of physical harm to that reasonable person", according to the charge.

Mr Wilson allegedly either intended to destroy or damage the phone or was reckless as to whether it would be destroyed or damaged.