Swansea,South Wales - Eight months jail for mum who brandished 12 inch knife at strangers

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Left: St Helen's Road in Swansea where the incident took place. Right: Tracy Walters

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A MUM who pulled a knife from her sleeve and brandished it at a group of people has been given eight months behind bars

Tracy Walters had already missed her son's 18th birthday after she pleaded guilty to possessing a bladed article in public and was remanded in custody.

The 43-year-old claimed she had found the 10 to 12 inch knife in a bin outside a charity shop on October 16 and had kept it in her sleeve because her pockets were "broken".

The court was shown CCTV footage of Walters coming out of a takeaway in St Helen's Road and pulling out the knife before laying it on the floor as police arrived.

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She told officers she had been the one to ring them because she had felt threatened by the group who had been "giving her a hard time".

Walters added that she had taken the knife out for her own protection.

Defence barrister Andrew Evans explained she had been concerned for her wellbeing.

"While it's clear the defendant had a knife in her possession, when the police arrived she placed the knife on the floor and went over to speak to them – that's because it was the defendant who made the original call," he said.

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He added that Walters, of Swansea Road, Waunarlwydd, had asked to serve her sentence in the community.

He said the 43-year-old had been "dogged" by the use of "controlled substances" most of her life.

"She feels she's now able to work with probation officers in a way she was never able to before."

But Recorder T Petts said the large knife had "potential to cause serious injury".

"The courts have said over many years that knife crimes are very serious because matters can easily get out of hand," he said.

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"I give you full credit for your early guilty plea, but in the circumstances the only sentence I can impose is a custodial sentence."

Walters, who appeared via video link from prison, was told she would have to spend at least half of the eight month sentence inside.

Read more at http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/eight-months-in-jail-for-mum-who-brandished-12-inch-knife-at-strangers/story-29942979-detail/story.html#sAO2YWrBfDiKgTcW.99