A dad who had to be tackled to the ground after chasing someone around Piccadilly Gardens with a knife during the lockdown has been told to expect a prison sentence.
Dale Ogden, 32, ran towards police who had been called to reports of violence in the city centre, a court heard.
Ogden, who has epilepsy said he was "persuaded" to head into town with a pal and that he was "asked to look after" the knife but had "no idea" how he came to be threatening people with it.
He was sent to the crown court and remanded into custody by a judge who said he believed there was a risk he could do it again.
People were called to Piccadilly Gardens at around 5pm on Tuesday, April 21 after reports of a man with a knife.
"The knife is brandished" Robin Lynch, prosecuting told Manchester Magistrates court.
"The only reason he's not been charged with threatening someone with a bladed article is that he's not seen to say anything.
"But he runs at officers and has to be taken to the floor.
"He had been seen chasing another male.
"The defendant says he suffers from epilepsy and doesn't know why he was in that area.
"He said he was given the knife just prior to that but that is the only explanation he has given."
Ogden, of Aldfield Road, Wythenshawe, was charged and pleaded guilty to both possession of a bladed article and breaching a restriction of movement during the emergency period (coronavirus) under the new lockdown laws.
Ogden was struggling to sit and said he was struggling to hear in the dock, with Nick Ross, defending saying that was the result of him suffering a seizure at the police station.
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"He's not someone who regularly offends" Mr Ross said.
"He has no relevant previous convictions, just one for drink driving.
"In relation to the incident there have been some threats on the face of it.
"It seems it came about after he was persuaded by a friend to come into the city centre in some kind of support role for him.
"The knife wasn't his and he says he was asked to look after it.
"However he has no idea why things have essentially kicked off. However he does not dispute what has been said about what he did. He can't.
"But he cannot really explain it.
"He's 32 years old, he is single, he has a seven year-old daughter with his ex-partner.
"He wants me to say he's extremely embarrassed and is very apologetic about what took place yesterday.
"He's absolutely petrified of ending up in prison where he's never been before, essentially at a time when conditions in prisons are stricter than normal."
However District Judge Bernard Begley commited him to the crown court for sentence and also refused a bail application and remanded him into custody.
He said: “I have heard little rationale or explanation for what happened.
"You were found chasing someone around a public place with a knife at around 5pm with other members of the public around.
"With no possible explanation that can only lead me to conclude you could do it again.
"The risk is too much and no conditions would allay those fears."
The breach of the lockdown restrictions can only be punished financially and he was handed a £75 fine for that offence.
