Yahoo News Man who armed himself with meat cleaver screams 'you're lying' as he's jailed
A man says he armed himself with a meat cleaver after being attacked by a homeless person at a Tesco store.
James Jackson brandished the weapon towards the police on a Liverpool city centre street, having claimed to have found the item discarded in a bin behind a hotel. He ranted "you're lying" as he was locked up today.
Liverpool Crown Court heard this afternoon, Tuesday, that a member of the public called 999 after spotting the 48-year-old with the meat cleaver on Renshaw Street in the early evening of May 27 this year. An attending officer was then directed by off-duty colleagues towards Jackson's location on Rodney Street in the Georgian Quarter.
READ MORE: Thug who battered man with crutches calls co-defendants 'scumbags' as he's jailed
Andrew Sinker, prosecuting, described how he was seen with his "arms secreted in his jacket" and began walking towards the PC. The defendant was told to drop the bag he was carrying on his shoulder but ignored these instructions, and the emergency service worker pressed her emergency button in response.
Jackson, of Princes Road in Toxteth, was then said to have "displayed the meat cleaver to her". He disputed this however, telling the court as he appeared via video link to HMP Altcourse: "No I didn't, no I didn't.
"No, I didn't display the item. It was in my jacket.
"I didn't display no item. You're lying.
"They're lying, she's lying. Liars"
Mr Sinker continued to outline how the officer then drew her baton and ordered Jackson to drop the bag and submit on the ground. Further police units then arrived and he was arrested.
Under interview, he told detectives that he was drunk at the time of the incident and had been "hitting street furniture" with the blade - which he claimed to have found in a bin behind a hotel on James Street. Jackson has a total of 16 previous convictions for 25 offences, including six for possession of a bladed article or offensive weapon in a public place.
Desmond Lennon, defending, told the court: "It is a concerning offence. The explanation put gives some light as to what the defendant was going through when these events took place.
"He had been living in shared accommodation in this city. The way he conducted himself made people feel jealous of him.
"He was bullied by them. He was assaulted by a beggar outside Tesco.
"In the misguided belief that he needed to protect himself, he acquired that weapon. Unhappily, he was drunk.
"His behaviour was somewhat irrational. He fully understands and accepts that people would have been frightened by this.
"It would have been alarming for them. He is sorry for what he has done, he is sorry for having that weapon in his possession and he is sorry for brandishing it and using it to damage the furniture.
"While he has been in custody, he has sobered up significantly and shown some level of comprehension of what he has done and some understanding of the impact on others. He has a poor antecedent history, and the court will be significantly concerned about these latest events."
Jackson admitted possession of a bladed article in a public place. He was jailed for 14 months.
Sentencing, Recorder Karen Ridge said: "Notwithstanding the fact you have been convicted on previous occasions, you have persisted in carrying offensive weapons in public places. You say you were assaulted on the day in question.
"You explain that you acquired the weapon to protect yourself. That cannot justify the acquisition and carrying of such a dangerous weapon in a public place.
"Carrying such weapons in a public place is illegal, and the carrying of them when intoxicated is a recipe for disaster. You say you are sorry, but those words are hollow given you have been in prison before on these charges and have persisted in carrying weapons in a public place."
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