Fire Alarm Knifeman Caged For Neighbour Threat

A knifeman who threatened a neighbour he suspected of calling 999 when his fire alarm activated has been locked-up for two years.

Omar Jaiteh, 34, of Norbiton Road, Poplar became enraged when the fire brigade arrived at the block of flats he and the victim, a man in his twenties, share on July 23, last year.

He was found guilty at Snaresbrook Crown Court of threatening a person in a public place with a knife and threatening behaviour.

A smoke alarm in Jaiteh's flat had been going off and the emergency services were called.

After they left he became agitated and, armed with a knife, he confronted the victim, blaming him for raising the alarm.

Jaiteh threatened to stab the victim and began moving towards him.

The victim fled into his flat and called the police.

Jaiteh was arrested in his flat and the knife was recovered.

Detective Sergeant Tomasz Patzer of Tower Hamlets CID said: "What started out as a fairly trivial incident ended with Omar Jaiteh arming himself with a knife and threatening his neighbour.

"Why he chose that course of action is unclear.

“However, what is clear is that carrying a knife and threatening harm to others are not acceptable and Jaiteh has rightly been jailed for this."