The man who armed himself with the meat cleaver screams “Lies” as he is imprisoned

A man says he armed himself with a meat cleaver after being attacked by a homeless man at a Tesco store.

James Jackson brandished the gun at police on a street in Liverpool city centre, claiming he had found the object thrown in a bin behind a hotel. He revealed “lies” when he was jailed today.

Liverpool Crown Court heard this afternoon, Tuesday, that a member of the public called 999 after spotting the 48-year-old man 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 to Jackson’s location on Rodney Street in the Georgian Quarter.

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Andrew Sinker, prosecuting, described how he was seen with his “arms tucked into his jacket” and started walking towards the computer. The defendant was told to drop the bag he was carrying over his shoulder, but he ignored these instructions and the 911 operator pressed the emergency button in response.

Jackson, of Princes Road in Toxteth, was said to have “shown her the meat cleaver”. However, he contested this, telling the court as he appeared via video link to HMP Altcourse: “No, no, no, no.

“No, I didn’t display the article. It was in my jacket.

“We have not displayed any items. Lying.

“They lie, she lies. Liars”

Mr Sinker went on to outline how the officer drew his baton and ordered Jackson to drop the bag and submit to the ground. Other police units then arrived and he was arrested.

During interview, he told detectives he was drunk at the time of the incident and had been “hitting the street furniture” with the blade – which he claimed he found in a bin behind a hotel on James Street. Jackson has a total of 16 previous convictions for 25 offences, including six for possessing a bladed article or offensive weapon in a public place.

Desmond Lennon, defending, told the court: “This is a worrying offence. The explanation offered sheds light on what the defendant was going through when these events occurred.

“He had lived in communal housing in this city. The way he acted made people feel jealous of him.

“He was assaulted by them. He was assaulted by a beggar outside Tesco.

“In the mistaken belief that he had to protect himself, he acquired that weapon. Unfortunately, he was drunk.

“His behavior was somewhat irrational. He fully understands and accepts that people would have been scared by this.

“It would have been alarming for them. He is sorry for what he did, he is sorry for having that gun in his possession and he is sorry for brandishing it and using it to damage the furniture.

“While in custody he has woken up significantly and has shown some level of understanding of what he has done and some understanding of the impact on others. He has a poor record and the court will be significantly concerned by these latest events.”

Jackson admitted possessing a bladed article in a public place. He was imprisoned for 14 months.

Sentencing, Recorder Karen Ridge said: “Despite having been convicted on previous occasions, you persisted in carrying offensive weapons in public places. Say you were assaulted on the day in question.

“You explain that you purchased the gun to protect yourself. That cannot justify the purchase and carrying of such a dangerous weapon in a public place.

“Carrying such weapons in a public place is illegal and carrying them while intoxicated is a recipe for disaster. You say you’re sorry, but those words ring hollow considering you’ve been to jail for these charges before and persisted. weapons in a public place”.

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