Shipley man brandished macheteAn insomniac brandished a machete at a taxi driver after taking non-prescription sleeping pills and downing two cans of Stella Artois to help him get a night’s rest.
Lewis Kendall had no memory of getting up in the middle of the night and going out armed with the knife and a piece of wood, Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday.
Kendall, of Crag Road, Shipley, pleaded guilty to racially-aggravated disorderly behaviour and having a bladed article on January 24 this year.
The court was told that a taxi driver picking up a fare in Rochester Street, Shipley, at 1.30am saw Kendall behaving in a drunk manner with a piece of wood.
Kendall fell over and then walked towards the taxi wielding a small machete. He called to the taxi driver, who is of Asian origin: “One of you lot nearly killed me tonight.”
Kendall jabbed the machete at the taxi, fell down again and threw his piece of wood at the vehicle. He shouted a racist remark at the driver who left the scene and called the police.
Kendall was arrested nearby.
He told officers he had terrible difficulty sleeping and had drunk two cans of the strong lager and taken two sleeping tablets the previous evening.
Kendall’s solicitor, Andrew Walker, said he had never done anything similar before. He recalled going to bed and then remembered nothing until he woke up in a police cell.
Judge Peter Benson read references from people who had a high regard for Kendall.
He said the offences were wholly out of character.
Kendall was under a lot of stress at the time and behaved in a bizarre manner after taking tablets that were not prescribed for him.
He was sentenced to an intensive community order, with 12 months’ supervision, and ordered to do 120 hours of unpaid work.
http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/n ... _drinking/
Login
Register
FAQ
