A KNIFE-WIELDING Musselburgh teenager chased a group of youths who had kicked in his front door.

Patrick Lightband ran after the three unknown youngsters after they attended his home and damaged the door to his flat.

Lightband was spotted carrying a large blade by concerned neighbours as he chased the gang along Musselburgh’s South Street.

Lightband also shouted out he was going to “kill” the youths.

Neighbours watched as Lightband chased the group, then phoned the police when they realised he was carrying a knife.

Lightband, 19, was arrested and charged, and appeared from custody at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last week.

Prosecutor Rosie Cook told the court that Lightband lived in a top-floor flat at the town’s South Street.

Neighbours witnessed three youths enter the block at about 9pm on November 1 last year.

Ms Cook said that loud banging was heard to take place within the stairwell and the youths ran out of the block about 10 minutes later.

Lightband was then spotted hanging out of a window and shouting after the group while holding a knife in his hand.

He was heard to be shouting comments including “I am going to stab them,” and “I am going to kill these kids and I have the blade to do it.”

The fiscal said that Lightband was then seen leaving his home and running after the group of youths near to Hercus Loan while still carrying the knife.

Police were called out to deal with the offender, and officers found him in his home sitting on the sofa “in an agitated state”.

Officers confirmed that the front door of the property was damaged and Lightband was soon arrested and charged.

Solicitor Angela Craig said that her client had since given up the tenancy on the flat on a voluntary basis and said it was not the first time Lightband had “endured” similar incidents by local youths.

Ms Craig added that Lightband had spent 102 days on remand and said he felt “vulnerable” while in custody.

Sheriff Donald Corke continued his remand and deferred sentence on Lightband to later this month for the preparation of reports.

Lightband admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing, uttering threats of violence and chasing after three unknown males while brandishing a knife or similar at South Street, Musselburgh, on November 1 last year.