Convicted criminal marched along street armed with kitchen knives
A SERIAL offender with a long-running drink habit left residents in fear after marching along a West London street armed with two knives.
Richard Poxon, 32, was “clearly worse for wear for drink” when he was spotted roaming a residential street in Greenford with a kitchen knife in each hand.
He appeared at Isleworth Crown Court on Monday September 13 to be sentenced having earlier pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article in a public place.
The conviction also meant Poxon was in breach of a suspended sentence imposed for an earlier knife incident.
The court heard that Poxon was seen walking along Greenford Avenue at around 11pm on August 14.
Prosecutor Edward Lewis said a short video clip, which was not played to the court, showed that Poxon was “worse for wear” due to alcohol consumption, a problem he has had “for some time”.
He added: “The residents who saw him were very concerned and there is a film which shows him walking unsteadily towards a bus stop with the knives in his hand.
“He is clearly intoxicated.
“As a result of that, police were called and officers arrived to find him sitting on a garden path outside the premises in which he was living at the time. He got in the car and presented no problems to officers.
“One of the knives appeared to be blood-stained and a search of his flat was conducted.
“The property was found to be untidy, but no evidence to suggest anyone had been injured.”
Residents on the street also told police that they believe he was trying to gain entry into a property.
The court heard that Poxon was already subject to a suspended sentence of 18 weeks after threatening a man with a knife and saying he would “shank them up” while out drinking.
Originally suspended for 12 months, the term was extended to 18 months when Poxon was subsequently found guilty of shoplifting.
In mitigation, Gabriella Fearns, defending Poxon, told the court that he “doesn’t remember the incident” and has been seeking help to address his issues with alcohol.
Passing sentence, His Honour Judge Jonathan Ferris told the court that knife crime was “a plague” in the area. He said: “This was worrying and threatening behaviour.
“Knife crime is a plague in West London and here we have a major problem having victims of knife crime turning up to court to give evidence.”
Poxon, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to 50 weeks’ imprisonment. He was also made subject of a two-year knife crime prevention order.