Teen wielded axe as groups argued near high school

A TEENAGER brandished an axe while another carried a stanley knife as two groups of youths confronted one another as parents collected their children from school.

The two groups squared up to one another in broad daylight outside Whitchurch High School in Cardiff as members of the public tried to intervene.

A court heard one youth was carrying an axe while another had a stanley knife during the stand-off. Another person was seen carrying a hammer.

Yesterday a 15-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon and affray in relation to the incident and was told it was “through luck rather than judgement” nobody was injured or killed.

Cardiff Youth Court heard police were called to Warren Evans Court at about 3.30pm on January 19 following reports of a disorder involving a number of young people armed with weapons.

Prosecutor Ashanti Jade-Walton said: “Someone had captured the incident on mobile footage and it shows two groups of youths approaching each other and members of the public trying to stop what’s going on.

“The main aggressor has a hammer in his hand and the defendant was identified as a person holding an axe.

“A member of the public who was there picking up her children from school tried to stop them arguing but they continued forward. She called the police and the group ran off. She was very upset by what she had seen.”

When arrested the defendant made that full admissions of his presence at the scene and of possessing the weapon.

Defence solicitor Declan McSorley said his client had acted as he did in a “misguided attempt to protect friends”.

He said: “Thankfully and mercifully no-one was injured. The confrontation was in the form of two disparate groups shouting and causing a disturbance but they did not become physically involved.”

Magistrate Teresa Triggs asked the defendant why he had brought an axe to the scene. He said: “I wasn’t going to use the axe – I was just trying to scare them away.”

Ms Triggs asked the defendant if he watched the news and if he had seen the recent coverage of stabbings in London. She added: “Do you think those young people intended to use their weapon? You might have used that axe and it would have been so easy to kill someone.”

After 10 minutes of deliberating Ms Triggs and two members of the magistrate panel returned to the courtroom where she read out the sentence.

She said: “This is a very serious offence. You need to understand that we have seriously considered sending you into custody today. Wielding an axe in a public place while there are members of the public around is a terrible thing to do and it’s through luck rather than judgement you didn’t hurt someone that day.”

The defendant was made subject to an intensive supervision and surveillance order for 12 months and was made subject to an electronic curfew for three months.

Another 15-year-old involved in the incident admitted the charges and was also made subject to a supervision order for 12 months while an 18-yearold man is due to appear for trial in relation to the incident.

Speaking at the time of the incident in a letter to parents, Whitchurch High School headteacher Huw Jones-Williams said: “I am extremely grateful for the support of South Wales Police not only in terms of their quick response on the day but also for the way they have worked closely with the school since then.

“I also want to thank the members of the public who helped me and my staff as the incident was unfolding.”