Richard Gathercole, 39, of Low Road, Winterton, Lincolnshire, was spared jail after admitting possession of a bladed weapon at Grimsby Crown Court. Police had been called to a disturbance on April 15 at around 8.30pm, where an officer spotted Gathercole carrying a 12-inch kitchen knife in the street. He was subsequently sprayed with Pava by police.
Second Weapons Offence
This was Gathercole's second weapons conviction, following a previous offence for taking a metal nail file into court. Prosecuting, Jane Rapin told the court the incident placed him in breach of a suspended sentence for violence, which had been handed down in May last year. That sentence—18 months' imprisonment suspended for two years—was imposed after he admitted knocking out a man who had been exposing himself in the street in front of children.
Incident Details
During the latest incident, an officer instructed Gathercole to put down the knife. According to Grimsby Live, Gathercole responded: 'I'm silly. I found it in a garden.' He told officers he had been drinking and had a row with his partner. Miss Rapin noted he had 10 convictions for 13 offences.
Defence Mitigation
For Gathercole, Julia Baggs said the knife came from a neighbour's garden where the neighbour kept tools. She added: 'His mental health continues to be something which is finely balanced. He was in a mental health crisis. It is essentially a cry for help.'
Judge's Decision
Judge Gurdial Singh noted there had been a high level of compliance with other court orders and that prospects of rehabilitation were good. He imposed a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered 15 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days with The Probation Service. He told the defendant: 'You have had your one Get Out of Jail card. Next time it will be prison.'
