Published date: 10 February 2017 |
Published by: Staff reporterRead more articles by Staff reporter
A YOUNG man who threatened to stab a pub doorman in Rhyl has been jailed today (Friday).
A judge warned that the same thing would happen to others tempted to carry knifes on the streets of the resort.
Defendant James O’Connor, 23, had been asked to leave The Barrel public house in the early hours of January 18 because of an altercation with another customer.
He became abusive with a doorman and said to him: “Wait a few minutes and I will be back to stab you.”
Mold Crown Court heard how five or ten minutes later, he re-appeared and approached the doorman shouting “I will f...... stab you, you bastard.”
Others intervened and prevented him from approaching the doorman, who saw that he was holding a carving knife with a nine inch blade in his hand.
Prosecuting barrister Claire Jones said that the victim felt really threatened and frightened.
O’Connor ran off but was chased and caught – although the knife was never found.
On arrested he told officers: “A knife? Prove it, if you can find it.”
Then he added: “If I had one it was to protect myself.”
On the way to St Asaph custody suite he became violent and kicked the police car window and banged his handcuffs against the window, causing damage.
O’Connor, of Tre Llewelyn Road in Rhyl, admitted making a threat with a knife and criminal damage, and was jailed for a total of 18 months – ten months from a previous suspended prison sentence.
Judge Rhys Rowland told him he had threatened he would be back to stab a doorman.
“Chillingly, you did return a short time later with others and you had a knife with you.”
But those with him had the good sense to push him away.
Judge Rowlands said understandably it had an unsettling effect on the victim.
Sadly it could not be said to be out of character for the defendant who had previous convictions which meant he faced a minimum six month sentence for the knife.
The incident occurred within a suspended sentence.
“Plainly people such as doormen in these circumstances, providing a service at licensed premises, are entitled to look to the courts for protection,” he said.
“Those tempted to arm themselves with knives and take them out onto the streets of Rhyl at night need to think long and hard – because the likelihood is that they will receive a custodial sentence,”
Defending barrister Matthew Curtis said that his client was resigned to going to prison.
He did very much regret the position he was in.
The best mitigation was his guilty pleas.
He regarded the complainant as someone he had got on well with, in the past.
The defendant had family in Manchester but returned to Rhyl to be with his father who was seriously ill.
That night he became intoxicated not just on alcohol but with some drugs too.
On his release he wanted to make a better future for himself and his family.
Defendant James O’Connor, 23, had been asked to leave The Barrel public house in the early hours of January 18 because of an altercation with another customer.
He became abusive with a doorman and said to him: “Wait a few minutes and I will be back to stab you.”
Mold Crown Court heard how five or ten minutes later, he re-appeared and approached the doorman shouting “I will f...... stab you, you bastard.”
Others intervened and prevented him from approaching the doorman, who saw that he was holding a carving knife with a nine inch blade in his hand.
Prosecuting barrister Claire Jones said that the victim felt really threatened and frightened.
O’Connor ran off but was chased and caught – although the knife was never found.
On arrested he told officers: “A knife? Prove it, if you can find it.”
Then he added: “If I had one it was to protect myself.”
On the way to St Asaph custody suite he became violent and kicked the police car window and banged his handcuffs against the window, causing damage.
O’Connor, of Tre Llewelyn Road in Rhyl, admitted making a threat with a knife and criminal damage, and was jailed for a total of 18 months – ten months from a previous suspended prison sentence.
Judge Rhys Rowland told him he had threatened he would be back to stab a doorman.
“Chillingly, you did return a short time later with others and you had a knife with you.”
But those with him had the good sense to push him away.
Judge Rowlands said understandably it had an unsettling effect on the victim.
Sadly it could not be said to be out of character for the defendant who had previous convictions which meant he faced a minimum six month sentence for the knife.
The incident occurred within a suspended sentence.
“Plainly people such as doormen in these circumstances, providing a service at licensed premises, are entitled to look to the courts for protection,” he said.
“Those tempted to arm themselves with knives and take them out onto the streets of Rhyl at night need to think long and hard – because the likelihood is that they will receive a custodial sentence,”
Defending barrister Matthew Curtis said that his client was resigned to going to prison.
He did very much regret the position he was in.
The best mitigation was his guilty pleas.
He regarded the complainant as someone he had got on well with, in the past.
The defendant had family in Manchester but returned to Rhyl to be with his father who was seriously ill.
That night he became intoxicated not just on alcohol but with some drugs too.
On his release he wanted to make a better future for himself and his family.
http://www.rhyljournal.co.uk/news/172412/23-year-old-who-threatened-to-stab-a-pub-doorman-in-rhyl-jailed.aspx
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