Man pulled knife after conning his way into house
A MAN pretended he had nowhere to sleep for the night in order to stay at a friend’s house – before then pulling a knife on her.
Daniel Martin sent a text message to Amy Brown on October 19, 2021, telling her that he was homeless and had no place to stay for the evening.
She took pity on him and invited her to stay the night at her home in Gorseinon, even meeting him en route to her house as he did not know where she lived.
But five minutes later, while in the kitchen area, Swansea Crown Court heard how he pulled a stainless-steel knife out from his waist area and brandished it at Ms Brown.
She asked him what he was doing pulling a knife on her in the home of her children.
He replied: “I have no problem with you, but an eye for an eye, it is then square between me and your partner.”
Ms Brown ran from the property and called the police.
Martin later came across her partner in the street and also brandished the knife and threatened him.
Martin was arrested the next morning and interviewed by police, but gave a no comment interview.
Martin, 19, of no fixed abode, appeared at Swansea Crown Court for sentencing, having previously pleaded guilty to possessing a bladed article in a public place.
Mitigating, his solicitor Lucas Edwards said: “He does have mental health issues and was struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. At that time he was in a very dark place.”
The court heard there had been a previous dispute between Martin and Ms Brown’s partner which led up to the incident.
Judge Jeremy Jenkins described it as a moment that had come from “pre-planning and determination to get himself in the property to confront Ms Brown’s partner”.
He added that it was a breach of trust and sentenced Martin to eight months’ detention.