Alcohol is the problem for ‘immature’ thug

DEFENCE barrister Anthony Parkinson said Macauley Cook has showed a ‘lack of maturity’ and ‘lack of remorse’ and that alcohol is the ‘route cause of most of his problems’.

The court was told that the defendant is ‘highly suggestible and prone to incitement’ and before committing both incidents had taken alcohol and drugs.

He has 23 convictions for 45 previous offences, including robbery with an imitation firearm, wounding, battery and threats to kill.

Mr Parkinson said: “It’s clear from reading the pre-sentence report and some of the inappropriate comments made in interview under caution that he is a young man not matured in the slightest yet.

“He took himself to the police station on August 30 knowing he was wanted for the first matter and knowing it was all over social media and in the local press.

“He felt that in his eyes that the suspended sentence order [imposed the previous day] was not going to work. He still had a great deal of anger inside him.

“He took the decision when the police essentially told him to go away and come back tomorrow. He then went back to the shop and committed the wounding offence.”

Mr Parkinson told the court that if Cook had been arrested then he would not have been able to carry out the second attack.

He said: “It’s unfortunate to say that the police, had he been dealt with on August 30 at the station, then would unlikely be at liberty to commit the second offence.

“He was circulated as far as he was concerned as wanted for the August 2 offence. The victim had made a statement on August 23 where he gave the defendant’s name.”

Prosecutor Stephen Parker told the court that an officer checked Cook’s name against their national police database and was not down on the system as being wanted.

However Judge Andrew Woolman said: “You would think that if somebody goes into the police station and says ‘I have committed a criminal offence’ of some seriousness that they would actually bother to arrest them, especially when they can look the defendant up to see that he has got previous convictions. What more do they want?”

Sentencing Cook, he said: “It seems to me inevitable to impose an extended sentence in this case in order to protect the public from serious harm from you.”