A Smethwick tenant who threatened his housemate with two kitchen knives has narrowly avoided immediate imprisonment after a court heard he was struggling with paranoia and self-medicating with alcohol.
Maciej Pelczar, 48, became drunk and aggressive on October 3, 2024, at a house in multiple occupation (HMO) on Rutland Road, according to Wolverhampton Crown Court. Prosecutor Shane Kenny explained that both Pelczar and his victim lived in the property, sharing common areas including the kitchen and bathroom.
On that day, Pelczar was seen brandishing two kitchen knives and threatening his housemate. However, the victim did not report the incident to police immediately. The court later heard about a repeated episode on November 25, which the victim reported to the landlord, who then informed West Midlands Police. Officers subsequently arrested Pelczar at the property.
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The victim described his fear in a statement read to the court: “I’ve tried to reason with Maciej about his drunken behavior, but he does not listen. I’m terrified that one day when he is drunk he may stab me, whether or not that is his intention. Living with him feels like walking on eggshells.”
Defence counsel James Kumar explained Pelczar’s state during the incident, saying he was self-medicating with alcohol to cope with paranoia. Pelczar believed people were spying on him and targeting him. Kumar added that Pelczar was remorseful and claimed he was simply cooking when he held the knives.
The court also heard of an earlier knife-related incident on October 12, when Pelczar was caught waving a knife at a Tesco car park. This led to an 18-month prison sentence suspended for two years, imposed in January of this year.
Pelczar pleaded guilty to threatening a person with a bladed article in a private place when he appeared before the magistrates’ court in June. His guilty plea came on the day the trial was due to start, earning him a 10% reduction in sentence.
On July 10, Pelczar appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court wearing a blue shirt and pale green shorts, accompanied by a Polish interpreter. He has since been relocated to alternative accommodation.
Judge Perry, addressing the defendant, highlighted the severity of the offences and noted aggravating factors, including Pelczar’s problematic alcohol use, which the judge described as “if you can call it an addiction.” Despite this, the judge acknowledged Pelczar’s compliance with previous suspended sentence orders and ruled that while the offences were serious, immediate custody was not necessary.
Pelczar was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 30 days of Rehabilitation Activity Requirement, 150 hours of unpaid work, and pay a victim surcharge.