Desperate man told police he was in town centre with knife
JON MACPHERSON
ADESPERATE man who had broken up with his girlfriend and was ‘frustrated’ with mental health services called police to say he was armed with a knife in Accrington town centre, a court heard.
David Brian Lowe reported his whereabouts and description to officers who quickly found the 28-year-old on Blackburn Road and arrested him.
Prosecutor Alistair Reid told Burnley Crown Court the incident happened at around 11pm on October 5 and the nineinch kitchen knife was found dumped in a bin nearby.
Lowe, of Spruce Court, Huncoat, told officers at the scene that he had been ‘struggling with a breakdown of a relationship and difficulties with his mental health’ and also admitted damaging a window at The Mount.
Lowe, who has two previous convictions for having a knife in a public place in 2015 and 2016, pleaded guilty to the same charge and also to criminal damage. He was jailed for four months.
Philip Boyd, defending, said Lowe’s actions were a ‘cry for help’ and he is now ‘totally motivated and resolved to address his behaviour’ after spending eight weeks on remand in jail.
He said: “This would never have come to court had the defendant not said he had had a knife. There was no evidence against him other than his own admission.
“It was a cry for help. He felt entirely let down by the mental health services. He had a medical script and the mental health team refused to continue the prescription because of his alcohol and drugs misuse.
“He was at his wits end. He finished his relationship with his partner earlier that day. He has ongoing mental health problems. There was no intention to frighten anyone and he fully assisted the police at all times.
“He simply can’t manage without other agencies assisting him but it’s a catch-22 situation. If he still abuses illegal substances then it’s very difficult for them to address his mental health problems. But he said without their assistance it’s very difficult to come off the substances, so it’s a vicious circle.”
Judge Jonathan Gibson said knife possession with similar previous convictions ‘justifies a custodial sentence’.
He said: “You were frustrated with mental health services and you appear to have been the person who called the police and you certainly raised your hand as the police arrived in order to attract their attention.”