Jailed: Telford music student caught with meat cleaver in public

Judge Merfyn Hughes QC sentenced Liam James, 27, of Brookside, to 16 months in prison for possessing three knives in his rucksack – a meat cleaver, a large knife and a smaller one.

Mold Crown Court was told that James was stopped by a police officer as he walked to the railway station at Newtown in Mid Wales on June 28 last year.

He admitted possessing the blades in public and told police they were for his own protection.

James gave 'no comment' replies to many questions in his interview but then said that he was in fear for his own safety at the hands of racist people, according to prosecuting barrister Karl Scholz.

When an officer said that his fear was no reason to carry the knives, he said he did not care and added: "I carry it if I want."

James said he was not going to let people beat him up, and told the officers: "It has already happened before."

When told that the cleaver in particular could cause serious harm, he said it would mean people would not mess with him.

Judge Hughes said it was a serious matter that James had armed himself with the weapons because someone had threatened him at a music festival, and was prepared to use them in that situation.

The court heard that James was searched by a police officer at about 4pm on June 28.

The officer had followed him to the railway station and suspected he may be in possession of drugs.

Two knives were found in his rucksack and a meat cleaver was found when the bag was further searched at the police station.

He said that he was in fear for his own safety because of a racist individual.

Serious

Judge Hughes said: "You made it clear that you would use them in any incident of disorder."

The judge said that the issue of knife crime has led to grave concern from the public and those involved in the administration of justice.

He said: "It can lead to very serious and fatal injuries.

"It is clear that you were prepared to use these weapons if you thought it appropriate to do so.

"In my judgement, the public are entitled to be protected from the harm caused by such offences as the carrying of knives.

"This court will do what it lawfully can do to reflect that concern."

Judge Hughes said that the only mitigation was that he did not produce the knives.

He said the meat cleaver in particular was an extremely dangerous weapon capable of inflicting very serious injury if it had been used against anyone, whether in defence or not.

The court was told James had a previous conviction for possessing a knife and the starting point, taking into account the number of weapons, would be increased to two years.

But he would receive full credit for his guilty plea.

Defending barrister Dafydd Roberts said: "He was carrying them for his own protection. He had been assaulted in the past and he felt the need to protect himself from further assaults."

He added that he did not have them to initiate any violence but to protect himself and frighten others from not attacking him.

The judge was told James had been accepted at a Birmingham college to do a B tech diploma in event production and management at level three.

"He sees his future in music and event management," explained Mr Roberts. "He is very keen to be able to continue with his studies."