Man with knife has sentence reduced
Thursday, 2nd May 2002.
A man jailed for possession of a kitchen knife has had his sentence cut on appeal to the crown court.
Nicholas Reed, 26, of Hawthorn Way, Stradishall, had been jailed for three months by Haverhill and Sudbury magistrates.
Judge Peter Thompson and two magistrates sitting at Ipswich Crown Court reduced the sentence to two months. This had the effect of enabling Reed’s immediate release from custody.
Earlier, solicitor Kevin McCarthy had told the court that Reed had been making his own efforts to fight the root cause of his offending — drugs.
‘Prison is one of the easiest places to obtain illegal substances,” said Mr McCarthy.
“Despite this, he today remains clear of drugs.”
Reed had previous convictions and had served many custodial sentences.
The court heard earlier from Robert Sadd, prosecuting, that police attention was drawn to Reed when they saw him walking along a Haverhill street, with blood over his face.
He appeared to be drunk and they searched him and found a kitchen knife in his pocket.
Reed claimed a friend had been stabbed but later admitted this was untrue.
In the initial Street encounter with the police, he had thrown himself at the front of a bus which had stopped nearby. Police cuffed his legs and hands.
In the subsequent interview he said he had been drinking in the White Hart pub in Haverhill and had fallen over.
Nicholas Reed, 26, of Hawthorn Way, Stradishall, had been jailed for three months by Haverhill and Sudbury magistrates.
Judge Peter Thompson and two magistrates sitting at Ipswich Crown Court reduced the sentence to two months. This had the effect of enabling Reed’s immediate release from custody.
Earlier, solicitor Kevin McCarthy had told the court that Reed had been making his own efforts to fight the root cause of his offending — drugs.
‘Prison is one of the easiest places to obtain illegal substances,” said Mr McCarthy.
“Despite this, he today remains clear of drugs.”
Reed had previous convictions and had served many custodial sentences.
The court heard earlier from Robert Sadd, prosecuting, that police attention was drawn to Reed when they saw him walking along a Haverhill street, with blood over his face.
He appeared to be drunk and they searched him and found a kitchen knife in his pocket.
Reed claimed a friend had been stabbed but later admitted this was untrue.
In the initial Street encounter with the police, he had thrown himself at the front of a bus which had stopped nearby. Police cuffed his legs and hands.
In the subsequent interview he said he had been drinking in the White Hart pub in Haverhill and had fallen over.
Comment on this story
[board listing] [login] [register]
You must be logged in to post messages. (login now)