A POWYS man threatened a “degree of mayhem” on Christmas Eve after he grabbed a meat cleaver and knife and marched towards his local pub after a drunken argument over a coat.
David Roberts, 44, was so drunk when he left the New Inn in Newbridge-on-Wye in the early hours of December 24 last year that he didn’t realise he had taken another man’s jacket.
When its owner remonstrated with him, Roberts left in a rage, went home and returned with two bladed instruments.
At Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court today (February 22) Roberts was given a four-month jail sentence suspended for 18 months.
Roberts, of Dol-y-Bont, Newbridge, admitted two charges of possessing a bladed article in public at a hearing at Llandrindod Wells Magistrates’ Court last month, but his case was sent for sentencing at the crown court because of the seriousness of the offences.
The incident happened at around 1am on Christmas Eve. The previous hearing was told barmaid Katie Elliott was working at the New Inn on December 23 and that a customer she knows as Dave appeared happy and drunk, but when she was outside later she noticed him wearing a jacket that was too big.
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Another man came out of the pub and there was a heated argument.
She next saw the defendant at around 1am storming up to the pub with “two shiny things” in his hands.
CCTV footage showed Roberts holding a carving knife and another knife, before walking away, dropping the cleaver as he headed towards his home.
Prosecutor James Evans said the defendant “accepted everything”.
Roberts said he had been in a "fit of rage", and told police: “I got to the pub and realised I was being stupid, people were looking at me”, adding that the knives were "the first things I found in the sink.”
Roberts added he had drunk a bottle of vodka on the night.
Representing Roberts, Christopher Evans, said: “He didn’t get in the pub, he didn’t try to get into the pub, there were no threats made with the knife.
“He did something very foolish after consuming a lot of alcohol. Something that was very much out of character for him.”
Mr Evans said Roberts was now planning to leave the Powys area, adding: “His difficulty has come from living in the Powys area and the mental health issues he’s had.”
Recorder Greg Bull told him that “living in Powys is a pleasure rather than a disadvantage”, but Mr Evans said that had not been his client's experience and that he planned to leave quickly.
Sentencing Roberts, Recorder Bull told him: “You don’t need me to tell you that on Christmas Eve last year you acted in an extremely drunk and stupid fashion.
“You were so drunk you had removed another man’s jacket and when he remonstrated with you, you took exception to that, went home and armed yourself with a meat cleaver and a kitchen knife and returned to the public house intent on some form of revenge.
“Fortunately, before you arrived at the public house, you realised what you were doing was not only crassly stupid but dangerous. The occupants of the pub were sufficiently concerned as to lock the doors to prevent you from entering.
“Had you not realised what you were doing was stupid and dangerous you could well have gone into that public house and caused some degree of mayhem."
Roberts will be fitted with an alcohol abstinence tag for 90 days, and must undertake 125 hours of unpaid work and 15 rehabilitation days.
He must pay £200 costs and a £154 surcharge. Both knives were ordered to be destroyed.
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