A man who produced a blade, prompting three women to flee in fear during a violent incident on a residential Whitehaven road has been spared immediate prison.
Andrew Arthur Hall, 38, first banged on a woman neighbour’s door on the evening of April 20 last year at Brakeside Gardens. Hall was shouting to get a male out of the address, referring to her partner. Hall was tensing himself up, Carlisle Crown Court heard this morning, and shouting let’s go.
“He went to his own house and emerged with an eight-inch blade, a kitchen knife, and stormed towards her house,” said prosecutor Brendan Burke, who told how Hall then dropped the knife before picking it up again. “Three females present, fled inside, called police and he was arrested.”
Hall later admitted affray having heard that if a probation officer proposed a suspended prison sentence — after exploring issues in his background — then that would be the likely punishment.
Defence barrister Dan Bramhall confirmed that a probation service pre-sentence report did indeed propose such a course of action.
“Mr Hall acknowledges that his behaviour on that particular day was wholly unacceptable,” said Mr Bramhall, who told how Hall would welcome support in the community. “He acknowledges the way he reacted cannot be excused.”
Recorder Julian Shaw suspended a 12-month prison sentence for 18 months. Hall must complete 25 days rehabilitation and a 120-day alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement aimed at helping him mend his ways.
“You don’t need me to explain to you how serious the court views that sort of behaviour,” Recorder Shaw said to Hall. “(The woman) would have been quite understandably terrified by what she had to endure.”
