Taxi driver knife-threat man behind bars
A crown court recorder has ruled that a man who bought a chopping knife in a Worcester shop and brandished it at a victim in a nearby alleyway was not a danger to the public.
Dean Ludlow bought the five-inch kitchen blade in Lakeland after he had spotted a taxi driver he had been in dispute with over payment of a fare.
He pulled the knife from a sports bag and threatened the cabbie with it but was seen by a bar owner who gave evidence at Ludlow’s trial.
He was convicted last year by a jury of possession of a blade in Broad Street on October 3 and locked up on remand.
Ludlow, aged 40, of Deerhurst Close, Severn Stoke, had 140 offences on his criminal record including knife crimes, said Nicholas Smith, prosecuting.
In June 2006 he stabbed a man in the stomach and slashed the victim’s brother across the face, causing a four-inch gash.
He was jailed for two years and his prison licence was extended to three years.
Four years earlier, police found a lock knife on him in a public street after a search. He was fined £75. But Recorder John Steel QC concluded that he was “not dangerous within the meaning of the legislation” and gave him a 40-week jail sentence, suspended for 12 months, with 150 hours of unpaid community work.
He warned Ludlow, who had already spent 133 days in custody awaiting sentence, that a further knife crime could result in an indeterminate jail term.
Ludlow’s previous convictions included eight of violence against people, one involving a firearm, four of fraud and 77 thefts, Worcester Crown Court was told. At trial he insisted he pulled out the knife in Worcester because he feared he was going to be attacked.
But the recorder told him: “You have used a knife in the past and demonstrated a propensity for violence.
“It’s clear there was no evidence of any threat towards you.
"You deliberately purchased the knife before making threats in the street to a totally innocent man.
“You have a violent nature fuelled by drugs.”
Charles Hamer, defending, said Ludlow had served many years in jail which had not had the effect of rehabilitation.
He had a record going back to 1986 but wanted to address his offending and turn his life around.
Mr Hamer said he now faced an appearance before magistrates in Birmingham over a £2,763 confiscation order made in 2003.
Ludlow, who had already served three months in jail in connection with the order, was remanded back into custody.
http://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/963 ... hind_bars/
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