Scott Gledhill, 48, of Sterling Way in Kirkdale, was jailed for 17 months after battering a homeless woman with a stick and chasing her with a knife in Liverpool city centre. The attack was seemingly unprovoked and occurred outside Flannels on Parker Street at around 11.30am on June 14 this year.
Victoria Jones was sitting outside the store when Gledhill approached her and struck her several times to the head and face using a stick, leaving her with a "small, superficial laceration" to her nose. He then went on to assault a man named Gareth Evans by hitting and kicking him. Both victims are believed to be homeless.
After the initial assault, Gledhill fled to nearby Houghton Street, with Ms Jones seen crying on the floor being consoled by a member of the public. However, he then approached her a second time, reaching into his jacket and pulling out a knife. Several onlookers backed away as he chased her towards Clayton Square Shopping Centre, hurling the stick at her. A family leaving the shopping centre appeared scared and ran back inside.
Brave shopper intervenes
One man was able to take Gledhill to the floor and disarm him of the knife. His criminal record shows 15 previous convictions for 27 offences, including affray, robbery and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Cheryl Mottram, defending, told the court: "Mr Gledhill is a gentleman who suffers with his mental health. He has a lot of problems, some stemming from an injury he received as a child, others stemming from other difficulties that he has had as he has grown up." She added that when he takes his medication and avoids illicit substances, his demeanour is "completely different".
Sentencing
Gledhill admitted affray, possession of a bladed article, two counts of assault, and breaching a suspended sentence order. Recorder Mark Cooper said: "Both of those individuals were unknown to you previously. Your actions were so shocking that members of the public backed away from you. Eventually, you were taken to the floor by a brave member of the public. One can only imagine what might have happened if you had not been taken to the floor." He acknowledged Gledhill's significant mental health issues but noted the offences were aggravated by previous convictions and the breach of a suspended sentence.
