Knifeman was too drunk to be sentenced
A DEFENDANT due to be sentenced for carrying a knife in the street turned up to the crown court late having spent several hours drinking.
Andrew Symons went to Cardiff Crown Court for 10am on Monday, then realised his case was listed for 2pm, so went to a family member’s house and started drinking.
Judge Nicola Jones said: “He was not in a fit state to be dealt with.”
The case was re-listed first thing yesterday and Symons was sentenced for failing to surrender, as well as for possessing a knife.
His barrister Byron Broadstock said: “Yesterday was simply panic.”
Judge Jones told the defendant: “I sat here for an hour and a quarter - I was willing to give you a chance.”
The court heard Symons was “extremely intoxicated” when he was seen at a bus stop near Pentwyn Leisure Centre at around 5am on August 17 carrying an eight-inch kitchen knife.
Pamela Kaiga, prosecuting, said the defendant was threatening to kill his brother as he had the knife in his hand.
A man in the bus shelter spoke to him and persuaded him to drop the knife, then Symons called the police himself. Officers arrived and arrested him, finding the knife in grass by the bus stop.
The defendant stated he had been drinking all day and there had been a family argument.
He told officers he was angry with his brother and started to “lose his head”. He said he started throwing things around the room, before walking out of the house with a knife from the kitchen.
Prosecutors said he had three previous convictions, which were not relevant.
He also had three previous cautions, including possessing an offensive weapon in 2007 and possessing a bladed article in 2010.
Symons, 30, from Pant Glas in Pentwyn, admitted possessing a knife and failing to surrender to the court.
Mr Broadstock said it was a “very unusual case” because the defendant called the police himself and admitted what he had done.
The court heard he had recently lost his job of four years which left him feeling “extremely low”.
Mr Broadstock said it was the defendant’s sister who persuaded him to go to court and Judge Jones noted he had support from his family.
She told the defendant: “Your life is a mess at the moment. Now is the time to turn your life around. I think, given the family support, you are capable of rehabilitation.”
The judge noted he had previously contributed to society by working and paying taxes and he expressed a willingness to overcome his addiction to alcohol.
She added: “I believe that in your case, there is no point in sending you to prison, because it would not serve the public or yourself.”
Symons was given a jail term of six months and two weeks, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to complete 20 days of a rehabilitation activity.