An Isle of Wight man pointed a knife at his grandad and threatened to kill him after 'voices in his head' told him to, following a family dispute.

Kyal Jason Ayres, of Somerset Road, Ryde, attended the Isle of Wight Crown Court for sentencing on Thursday, February 8, after pleading guilty to threatening his 72-year-old grandfather with a knife and making threats to kill.

Oliver Hirsch, prosecuting, said the 24-year-old entered his grandfather’s address on Downsview in Sandown at 1.15pm on July 17, 2023, to argue with him following a serious family dispute.

Mr Hirsch said Ayres told his grandfather, while holding up a six-inch knife, “I came here to beat you up, but now I’ve decided I’m going to kill you."

The prosecution claimed Ayres said this ‘aggressively and with venom’, leaving the victim to believe his grandson would ‘end his life in that moment’.

Ayres left the property and later called police to tell them what had happened and to ask officers to make sure he did not go through with his threats.

Mr Hirsch told the court Ayres heard voices in his head telling him to visit his grandfather, but when the voices told him to kill his grandfather, he punched himself in the head to get rid of them.

Jonathan Underhill, defending, said his client had already served almost seven months after being remanded into custody since the incident in July 2023.

This was not a sophisticated or premeditated incident, said Mr Underhill, as the knife was not taken to the scene but instead picked up inside the flat.

The defence claimed Ayres's grandfather told him, “Don’t be silly. You’re going to get yourself in trouble,” which calmed the situation, and Ayres left soon after.

Mr Underhill said Ayres has a background of ‘psychiatric difficulty' and, at the time of the incident, he was in a period of 'heightened distress' after stopping his medication to drink at the Isle of Wight Festival and deciding not to resume taking it afterwards.

Judge James Newton-Price sentenced Ayres to 15 months custody, suspended for two years, and added a 12-month restraining order.