Man had knife in caravan park dispute

SECURITY STAFF ‘HAD KEPT EYE ON CARAVAN DUE TO HIS BEHAVIOUR’

AMAN admitted possessing a knife during a disturbance at a holiday park.

Shaun McInerney, 42, was arrested by police who had been called by security staff who had been monitoring the caravan at Hafan y Mor, Pwllheli, because of his behaviour.

McInerney, of Elmswood Road in Liverpool, admitted possessing the knife during the dispute in the early hours of April 22.

Judge Niclas Parry, sitting at Mold Crown Court, said he had been drinking and was in an argumentative mood when he produced the knife in a public place, a holiday camp.

His aggressive behaviour earlier on licensed premises had been such that he had been asked to leave and was escorted back to the caravan.

Staff were so concerned they kept an eye on the caravan, where he was argumentative and aggressive.

Then they heard the words “he’s got a knife” and felt it their duty to take his family

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away from the caravan.

Judge Parry said the aggravating features were obvious. The defendant was under the influence of alcohol and had a very poor criminal record.

At the time he was on licence after his release from a very lengthy sentence for supplying drugs. But Judge Parry took into account the incident was very short, the knife was not brandished, McInerney had responded well to supervision on licence, was working and was about to become a father. He imposed a 10-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months with 200 hours’ unpaid work and £1,200 costs.

Prosecuting barrister James Coutts said a knife with a 12-15in blade had been recovered.

McInerney came outside with the knife in one hand and a mobile phone in the other.

Interviewed, he described the allegations as “all bo**ocks” and initially denied the offence.

He had previous convictions for 16 offences and had served an eightyear and a six-and-a-halfyear sentence for robbery and supplying class A drugs.

Cheryl Mottram, defending, said that he appreciated the stupidity of his actions while on licence.

He had buried his head in the sand but then he did admit what he had done weeks before the trial was due.

In his basis of plea, he told how he was making a sandwich in the caravan, heard a noise outside and went to investigate.