Knife-wielding Army veteran is spared jail for Market Drayton incident
An Afghanistan veteran who pulled a knife on police while suffering post-traumatic stress disorder has been spared jail.
Daniel Ross, 31, had been on the run for a year after failing to appear at court last February, but yesterday he admitted possession of a blade, affray and failing to surrender at Shrewsbury Crown Court.
It was late in the evening on October 23, 2012 that police were called to Cross Street, in the centre of Market Drayton, after neighbours heard a lady screaming, prosecutor Peter Arnold said.
Officer Kerry Adamson approached the house where the screaming had come from and Ross answered the door holding a large kitchen knife in his right hand. There was still screaming coming from inside the house.
PC Adamson asked Ross to put down the knife but he refused, pointed the knife at her and clenched his fist, swearing and saying "So what if I stab you?"
He walked out into the street and then dropped the knife on the floor but adopted a fighting stance. After he refused to calm down, officers used CS gas on him, Mr Arnold said.
"He was so strong and violent it took a number of officers to get him under control," he said.
In interview Ross said he had been drinking vodka on top of medication, and had earlier harmed himself.
Andrew Holland, representing Ross, said he suffered from uncontrollable rage and insomnia and had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. On the night in question he had been drinking and having flashbacks.
He said after failing to attend court in February 2013 Ross had been living rough with friends in Bromsgrove, but had now formed a stable relationship and had "controlled his difficulties without medical input".
He was arrested when he was spotted outside C21 nightclub in Shrewsbury.
Judge Robin Onions said Ross had been in the Royal Irish Regiment stationed at Tern Hill until he was discharged early in 2013.
He had served in Northern Ireland, which being an Irish Catholic could "not have been easy", he said, and had also served in Iraq and three times in Afghanistan.
"He experienced some particualry traumatic events" he said, "I don't think the rest of us can even imagine. It would be wrong to have one law for the Army and one for civilians, but it would be utterly unjust to ignore what this county's asked of him and what he's experienced. I don't think any judge could or should ignore the medical report prepared by the MOD.
"He has clearly given a lot of service to this country."
He sentenced Ross to 15 months in custody, but suspended for two years, meaning it would only be activated if he reoffends in that time.
He was also ordered to spend 18 months under supervsion, including 150 hours unpaid work and attending a reducing violence programme. He was asked to pay £300 costs.
