Knifeman tells police ‘I’m going to kill someone’

THREAT MADE IN 999 CALL OUTSIDE COP STATION

A KNIFEMAN rang the police saying he was armed and “going to kill someone,” a court heard.

Craig Hooper, 43, was standing outside Mansfield House police station, in Leicester, when he made the 999 call.

Desperate for help, he told the call handler that members of the public were present and officers needed to “get here urgently” before he killed someone.

Leicester Crown Court was told that Hooper, who already had six knife possessions on his criminal record, was struggling with mental health difficulties at the time, but that his condition has improved.

Stephen Kemp, prosecuting, said an officer went to the police station car park and found the defendant on his phone to the call handler, at 7pm on July 14 last year.

The prosecutor said: “The officer drew out his Taser and asked where the knife was and Hooper told him it was in his trouser pocket.

“Hooper was asked to remove the knife and put it on the floor, which he did. “It was a Stanley-type knife. “He was arrested and interviewed the next day, but made no comment.” Hooper, of no fixed address, admitted possessing a bladed article in a public place.

Judge Philip Head said he had read a psychiatric report on the defendant, which did not recommend a hospital order or mental health disposal.

The judge said: “Mr Hooper has had mental health issues, which were partly due to substance abuse.”

Philip Gibbs, mitigating, said: “He was self-medicating for a life-long mental health condition.

“He has served nine months while on remand during the strict Covid regime, the equivalent of an 18-month sentence.”

“His plan is to have medication in the community. He’s been offered accommodation with a former partner in Derbyshire and hopes it can be a fresh start.

“Although the offence is alarming there are mitigating factors as he alerted the authorities of his mental state and prevented anything worse happening.”

The court heard Hooper, who appeared via a video link from prison, wanted nothing more to do with knives in the future.

Sentencing, Judge Head said: “You suffer from a terrible misfortune which is a mental health condition you’ve struggled on and off with for years.

“However, using drugs as you have from time to time is likely to make it worse, although you might think at the time it makes you better.

“You have a large number of convictions but of real concern is that on six previous occasions you’ve been convicted of having a bladed article.

“On July 14 you were clearly unwell and in possession of a knife but realised you were a danger to others and went to the police station. You rang the police and effectively invited them to come out and disarm you and arrest you.

“At no point did you produce the knife or brandish it.

“By phoning the police as you did you probably prevented a tragedy that might have happened.

“My concern is if you get unwell again your self control might not be quite the same as it was then.”

Hooper was given a 16-month jail sentence, which meant an immediate release, having already served the time on remand.

The judge said: “You will be on licence and it’s important to cooperate with that licence and the Probation Service who are there to help you and protect the public.

“If you fail to comply you will be recalled to prison. I hope this is the last offence of any sort by you.”

The officer drew his Taser and asked where the knife was and Hooper said it was in his trouser pocket Prosecutor