Community order for man found armed with kitchen knife on Sheffield streetÂ

A man found armed with a kitchen knife on a Sheffield street has been spared jail, after a judge said he could '˜step back' from a custodial sentence due to it being the defendant's first weapons offence.Â
Roulson was sentenced at Sheffield Magistrates' Court today (Wednesday, November 7)Roulson was sentenced at Sheffield Magistrates' Court today (Wednesday, November 7)
Roulson was sentenced at Sheffield Magistrates' Court today (Wednesday, November 7)

'Owing to your guilty plea and your relative lack of previous convictions, I can step back from imposing a prison sentence,' District Judge Paul Heeley told Gareth Roulson as he sentenced him to a 12-month community order for possessing a weapon in a public place. 

Sheffield Magistrates' Court heard how Roulson, 29, armed himself with the knife as he left the house on the evening of September 28 this year, following an argument with his partner. 

 

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'Somebody called the police and you were behaving somewhat erratically and armed with a knife while intoxicated, which is a dangerous combination,' said Judge Heeley. 

Police found Roulson on Wybourn Park Road, near to Sheffield city centre. 

'When you were located you dropped the knife to the floor, and told the police to arrest you,' said Judge Heeley, adding: 'You behaved dangerously and it potentially could have had catastrophic consequences.'

 

 

Roulson, of Shiregreen Lane, Shiregreen pleaded guilty to the offence at an earlier hearing. 

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Sal Anoud, defending, said in mitigation: 'It was alcohol that made him act in such a way, and made him take the knife.'

Mr Anoud continued by telling the court that Roulson hoped to be full-time employment soon. 

 

In addition to his community order, Judge Heeley also ordered Roulson to complete a 10 day alcohol treatment requirement as well as 65 hours unpaid work. 

He told Roulson: 'You really need to reflect on what happened on the night in question.' 

 

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