A woman who terrified the public by wielding a machete at a busy Tyneside Metro station has been given a suspended prison sentence. Demi Ridley, 27, was captured on CCTV brandishing the blade and shouting abuse in Byker, and was also seen throwing punches at people before a distressed member of the public flagged down a passing police car.
Incident at Byker Metro Station
Newcastle Magistrates' Court heard that officers were approached by a "distressed and alarmed" member of the public near Byker Metro Station on June 18. George Johnston, prosecuting, said: "The witness reported that they had seen a woman with a machete."
Officers located Ridley on Shields Road, where she tried to flee before being detained. Mr Johnston added: "She made-off and, prior to being apprehended, discarded the machete in question. She had been brandishing it in the street."
Court Hearing and Defence
Ridley, of Glebe Road, in Forest Hall, pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article and a public order offence. She claimed her mother had called her to Byker, said she was in trouble, and asked her to bring a weapon.
Michael Crowe, defending, said Ridley suffers with ADHD and mental health issues, which she was not medicated for at the time, and experienced a traumatic upbringing. Mr Crowe told magistrates: "She has asked me to make it clear that she very much regrets her behaviour. She is someone who has been very worried about this. She has not been in much trouble before. She works part time building stage sets. She's had a very difficult upbringing. Her mother is a known, prolific offender."
Sentence
Mr Crowe said Ridley looked "confrontational" whilst carrying the machete but was not "lunging" with it. Magistrates gave Ridley a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered her to pay £85 costs and a £154 victim surcharge.
