A CONVICTED sex offender tried to ram a man's dog with his unicycle before pulling out a knife.

Laurence Marsden, of Bernard Road, Cowes, pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage to a van tyre and causing harassment, alarm, and distress — all against the same male victim — on October 11.

The incident took place around 5.30pm while a man was walking his dog at the recreation ground near Northwood Cricket Club, Cowes.

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Lauren McConnell, prosecuting at the Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court, said Marsden, who was walking his dog while riding a unicycle, attempted to ram the other man's dog and began shouting at its owner.

The 25-year-old then gestured with his finger as he rode away from his victim and stopped to sit on a bench.

The dog owner approached Marsden to discuss the unprovoked incident, but Marsden ignored him, listening to music on his headphones.

When the man lifted Marsden's headphones to speak, Marsden pulled a pen knife from a bag then took a photo of the man, said Mrs McConnell.

On seeing the knife, the man returned to his van, where he later heard a loud bang.

Upon investigation, he saw Marsden running away.

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The following day, the man discovered one of his nearside tyres was deflated, with damage estimated at £200.

Police picked up Marsden for questioning.

He admitted to pulling out the knife "to scare him off," and puncturing the tyre, "in fear of being chased."

Marsden is a sex offender, who was convicted last year of carrying out a sex attack on a woman and indecent acts, including exposure, for which he was handed an 18-month suspended sentence order.

Tom Cooke, defending, said his client was "deeply embarrassed" about damaging the tyre and accepts his reaction to having the headphones removed was wrong.

Marsden has "a complicated diagnosis of his mental health issues," explained Mr Cooke, and the Probation Service was "incredibly surprised" by his actions on October 11.

Magistrates were sufficiently persuaded not to activate the suspended sentence, but warned Marsden he came "very, very close" to being jailed.

Marsden was ordered to pay his victim £200 compensation and was made subject to a 12-month probation order.