Charles Cardwell pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to using threatening words and behaviour and possessing a bladed article in a public place.

But after reading that the 54-year-old had been blown up while serving in Northern Ireland and injured in Iraq, a Judge gave him a suspended sentence.

Cardwell, of Tachbrook Street, was sentenced to four months in prison suspended for 12 months and ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work.

Speaking at the court on Wednesday Kate Hatton, prosecuting, said that in October last year two young men went to call on a cousin of one of them at a flat in Tachbrook Street.

As they rang the external buzzer to be let in Cardwell, who was nearby with his partner and his dog, began asking them why they were there.

Miss Hatton said when they would not tell him, Cardwell squared up to one of them and said he was going to get a machete.

He brought out a machete and told them: "I'm going to cut you up. Round the corner, and I'll show you how to use a machete."

She said he made slashing movements with the weapon and told them not to return to the area again.

Miss Hatton pointed out that there were a number of people in the street, including children, and one mother said she feared for her safety and that of her children.

When the police later went to Cardwell's home he produced the machete, which he said was a golok – an army weapon he used for cutting down bushes.

Cardwell said the two young men became abusive and that one of them had pulled out an object, so to teach them a lesson he went to get the golok which he held up 'Crocodile Dundee-style' and told them: "That's what you call a knife."

Shane Crawford, defending, said that since Cardwell had moved into his flat a month earlier there had been instances of teenagers and young adults causing damage and making a nuisance of themselves, which was why he had challenged the two young men.

He said: "The exchange which followed was less than civil, and he acted in a way which was not consistent with his normal character.

"He has a distinguished service record, and he feels shame at the way he conducted himself."

Sentencing Cardwell, Judge Christopher Hodson told him: "For those who produce weapons, knives in particular, in a public place and threaten others with them, courts are advised to impose a sentence of imprisonment.

"But there is no doubt in my mind that this country owes you a debt for what you have done while serving in the Army.

"You were blown up at Warren Point in Northern Ireland in the 80s and injured in Iraq in 2005.

"It is for that reason alone I think it is right the sentence should be suspended, and I think that with your army training you would have been able to control yourself."