20-year-old James Driver, from Caewern, brandished the knife at three boys in an incident in Aberavon on 22 January.
Terrified onlookers described how Driver brandished a machete and charged at a group of youngsters while threatening to stab them.
He then then rode off on a motorbike, going around a busy roundabout the wrong way cutting-up a number of vehicles, before driving over a pedestrian footpath into Lidl supermarket’s car park.
He was later arrested on suspicion of affray and possession of a bladed article. The machete was found by police officers who were conducting a search of Driver’s address.
In court, Driver pleaded guilty to affray, possession of bladed article, possession of an offensive weapon and dangerous driving. He has five previous convictions for nine offences including driving without a licence and without insurance.
He has been sentenced to sixteen months in prison, serving up to 40% of that sentence in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. He was also banned from driving for 15 months and will have to take an extended test before he can get a licence in future.
PC Lincoln Burrow from South Wales Police said: “James Driver’s behaviour for all three of his offences was unacceptable. Threatening and intimidating behaviour such as that he has displayed will not be tolerated.
“We hope that James will use his time in prison to think hard about his actions and change his ways.”
