I'm getting very intolerant over this kind of thing lately. I'm slowly moving to the view point that if someone takes out a knife on the street to threaten someone they completely forfiet their life and you have the right (if able to do so) to kill them. I also think that if caught by the authorities carrying any kind of weapon you should automatically get a prison sentence of at least 2 years. IMO there is just NO justification for carrying a weapon on the streets therefore it can be assumed that you intend at the very least to commit ABH and should be punished on that basis on a minimum sentence. If you should actually threaten someone with a knife you are IMO intending to kill so therefore a proportionate response for self defence would be to have your life taken by the person your threatening and to be charged with attempted murder as a minium should you be caught by the authorities. That's irrespective of what actions you actually take.

GTM