Man jailed for bizarre knife-wielding episode

A South Devon Devon village knifeman's bizarre and mysterious behaviour has landed him behind bars after a judge said courts had to take a strong line with people who produced and used the weapons in public. Exeter Crown Court heard 33-year-old Darren Wales came out of his home in East Ogwell shouting and arguing with another man and brandishing a 10-inch kitchen knife.

He chased the other man down the road but gave up and walked back towards his home. The other man then also came back down the road and the incident was repeated exactly. However, on the third occasion things took a decided turn for the better when Wales put the knife in his car, hugged the second man and they went their separate ways. Prosecutor Chris Bennett said the only reason the matter came to the attention of the police was because a neighbour Robert Davis heard the first argument and saw Wales lunging at the second man with the knife. He formed the opinion that the defendant was on the attack and called the police.

The court was told that by the time they arrived the third incident had happened and officers were just in time to see Wales reversing his BMW at speed down the road to his house. They stopped him and found the kitchen knife in the boot. The prosecutor said when Wales was interviewed he made no comment as to why the initial incident, the repeat performance and the bizarre ending had occurred. The second man had never been seen by the police and had never made a complaint about what had happened in the street.

Mitigating, Ben Darby said the only explanation he had managed to get from his client was that he had been attacked in his home, had unwisely armed himself with the knife and chased the man down the road. He said it was a peculiar set of circumstances and had it not been for Mr Davis the matter would never have come to court. Wales pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing the knife as an offensive weapon in Reynell Road, East Ogwell and in Luxton Road, East Ogwell where he lived.

Jailing him for three months Judge Graham Cottle told Wales: "What happened here is a completely mystery and the incident had a bizarre ending. Had it not been for an observant member of the public who thought you were trying to harm the other man this case would never have entered the criminal justice system.

"However, the bottom line is that you were out in a public place with a knife and looking as though you were going to harm someone. The courts take a very strong line with people who produce and use knives and the message has to go out that immediate custodial sentences will be the result of such behaviour."