Man brandished five inch knife at Sheffield KFC restaurant

Sheffield Crown Court heard on January 25 how Anthony Sheppard, aged 20, of Melling Close, near Birdholme, Chesterfield, brandished a knife during the incident at the KFC restaurant in Haymarket, Sheffield, on March 3, 2020.

Sheppard was accompanying a young woman on a first date, according to Recorder Craig Hassall.

Prosecuting barrister Joseph Bell said: “Mr Sheppard’s girlfriend at the time fell up a flight of stairs which led to a group of friends laughing.

“A verbal altercation occurred and the defendant repeated, ‘come outside’, and, ‘I will put a blade in you'."

Mr Bell added that the defendant walked outside where he revealed the handle of a knife in the waistband of his trousers.

Sheppard then removed the knife and mimicked running it across his throat and licking it, according to Mr Bell.

Mr Bell added one of the group called the police and the defendant went back inside the KFC and made jabbing motions with the knife before returning outside and putting the blade back into his waistband.

One of the group spoke to Sheppard and he apologised and walked away, according to Mr Bell.

Police were aware of Sheppard’s knife and detained the defendant on Bank Street after he tried to run away, according to Mr Bell.

Mr Bell said that the defendant had tried to dispose of the blade but police seized a five-inch knife from Bank Street.

Defence barrister Joy Merriam told the court she believes that Sheppard's mental health condition and ADHD should be taken into account as well as the fact he was intoxicated at the time.

Sheppard, formerly of Sydney Street, Brampton, Chesterfield, pleaded guilty to possessing a knife in a public place without reasonable excuse or lawful authority.

Recorder Hassall acknowledged Sheppard's efforts with his rehabilitation and sentenced him to eight months of custody suspended for 12 months with a three-month curfew and a 20-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement.

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