Shropshire Star

Jailed: Knifeman fought off by Telford pensioner armed with wooden poles

A pensioner armed himself with two wooden poles in a bid to tackle a man wielding a knife who got into his Telford home, a court heard.

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Robert Steventon, aged 75, was woken in the early hours by a loud banging on his bedroom door last April. He was confronted by Matthew Hudson who had a kitchen knife in his hand and was shouting that he "wanted his crack cocaine".

At Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday 21-year-old Hudson was jailed after admitting charges of affray and possession of a knife. The court heard Hudson was in breach of a 12-month suspended sentence imposed in March last year for possession of an offensive weapon

Passing sentence, Judge Peter Barrie said Hudson's actions had been aggressive, bursting into the elderly victim's home.

"You had no grievance with him and there was no justification or excuse and it must have been very frightening for a 75-year-old man," he said.

Hudson, of no fixed address, was jailed for 14 months – eight months for the affray and possession of the knife and a further six months for breach of the suspended sentence.

The court heard that Hudson believed a man who had sold him drugs was a lodger at Mr Steventon's home and had gone to the property in the early hours.

Mr John Oates, prosecuting, said Mr Steventon had been asleep and was woken by Hudson shouting and kicking the bedroom door.

He said the pensioner armed himself with the wooden poles and was confronted by Hudson with the knife.

"The victim jabbed the poles towards the intruder who dropped the knife and ran to an open door," he said.

Hudson had faced a charge of aggravated burglary, but no evidence was offered and Judge Barrie recorded a not guilty verdict.

Mr Dean Easthope, for Hudson, said his client accepted his behaviour was out of order. He said Hudson had issues with drugs and drink and his life had spiralled out of control and he had lost contact with his family.

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