Man swings Samurai sword around in street during row

A MAN ran around swinging a Samurai sword in a residential street in Derbyshire.

Darren Whiteley, 36, was found guilty at court of brandishing the weapon when he grabbed the largest of three blades kept at his home.

He then unsheathed it and ran “20 yards or so” into the street outside after an argument between a father and son got heated.

The court heard how the man from Dale View, Stretton, Alfreton, was also shouting outside a house there and had been threatening to fight.

While Whiteley was cleared of two counts of assault against the father and son, he was found guilty of possessing a “sharply pointed blade” in a public place.

Becky Allsop, prosecuting, told Chesterfield Magistrates’ Court: “The younger witness, who is under the age of 18, approached the defendant’s address and he went running up the driveway to the side of the house.

“It was alleged by witnesses the defendant came out of the address brandishing a Samurai sword after taking it out of a sheath and running out on the street with the sword.

“He came 20 yards or so into the street.

“It was said by witnesses when he was in the street he was brandishing it and waving it about and swinging it about.”

All of Whiteley’s swords were seized by police.

The case was committed to Derby Crown Court as magistrates’ sentencing powers are not sufficient. Whiteley was granted conditional bail and is due to appear at Derby Crown Court on January 30.

The incident happened on June 25, last year. Chesterfield Magistrates’ Court