A KNIFEMAN spotted marching towards the home of his girlfriend’s ex on Christmas Day told the police officers who stopped him that he “didn’t have anything to lose”.

Tristan Preece had peppered his girlfriend’s ex-partner with WhatsApp messages on Christmas Day asking for a meeting, Swindon Magistrates’ Court was told. Preece’s girlfriend had also sent abusive messages.

After being told repeatedly that his supposed love rival would not meet him, 26-year-old Preece armed himself with a 12cm kitchen knife and marched with the blade to the man’s home on Hackney Way, Westbury.

By chance, police officers were already at the house after the recipient of Preece’s abusive texts reported the messages to the authorities.

The officers stopped him before he made it to the house. Preece volunteered the kitchen knife then told the officers: “You get pushed to your limits, don’t you?” After one of the constables said it was a good thing they had come along, Preece replied: “It could have been a lot worse, yeah.” The police officers were concerned when their suspect said he “didn’t care anymore and didn’t have anything to lose”.

Appearing before Swindon magistrates on Friday, Preece, of Sycamore Grove, Westbury, pleaded guilty to possession of a knife blade in a public place.

Jonathan Lewis, defending, said his client was drunk and could not remember why he had taken the kitchen knife with him. The blade had not been brandished and Preece had never even made it to his rival’s door.

Preece had genuinely wanted to speak to his girlfriend’s ex in an effort to resolve the complicated love triangle, magistrates heard. His mood had changed upon seeing the police officers. “It’s almost as if seeing the boys in blue has lifted a weight off his shoulders,” Mr Lewis said.

Magistrates remanded Preece in custody to be sentenced at Salisbury Crown Court on January 24. Chairman of the bench Simon Wolfensohn said: “This is an unfortunate state of affairs and you face a very serious charge.”