Sheffield man jailed for threatening to ‘stab up’ police officer

A Sheffield man who was given a second chance after threatening a police officer with a knife, has now been jailed after he breached the community order he was sentenced to three times.
Pickering threatened to stab a police officer during an incident in Upperthorpe Road, Upperthorpe. Picture: GooglePickering threatened to stab a police officer during an incident in Upperthorpe Road, Upperthorpe. Picture: Google
Pickering threatened to stab a police officer during an incident in Upperthorpe Road, Upperthorpe. Picture: Google

Simon Pickering, 28, carried out the initial offence on the evening December 11, 2016 after South Yorkshire Police and the fire service were called out to a fire in Upperthorpe Road, Upperthorpe. 

A police cordon was put in place in the area a short time later, and Sheffield Crown Court was told how Pickering and a friend attempted to go through the cordon. 

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“They were stopped by a police officer. The police officer tried to move the defendant away and he became aggressive and threatening,” Kate Reikstina, prosecuting, told Sheffield Crown Court 

 

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Pickering, of Ravenscroft Drive, Richmond subsequently called 999 to complain about the police officer ‘pushing him’ and told the operator he was going to go into his flat to get a knife and ‘stab up’ the nearby officers. 

Ms Reikstina said: “He came out of his flat with a knife, and due to the knife and his aggressive attitude, officers deployed their PAVA spray.”

Pickering was arrested and charged with affray. 

He pleaded guilty to the offence and was sentenced to an 18-month community order, one requirement of which was 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days, during a hearing held at Sheffield Crown Court in February last year. 

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Pickering was brought before Sheffield Crown Court today for his third breach of the order, and Ms Reikstina said Pickering had only attended two out of the 28 appointments he was required to attend. 

Zaiban Alam, defending, said the duration of the affray offence was ‘brief,’ adding that while Pickering may have made threats no violence was actually carried out. 

 

 

Judge Graham Reeds QC described Pickering’s compliance with his community order as ‘woeful’ and said the only possible sentence that could be passed was one of immediate imprisonment. 

He jailed Pickering for six months and 14 days, after also taking into consideration a number of previous breaches of his bail conditions.  

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“This was a serious matter of affray, that involved pulling a knife on a police officer who was doing his public duty. Although I accept there was no actual violence, that was only because you were dealt with very quickly,” said Judge Reeds. 

He added: “In February last year, the judge who sentenced you was persuaded to impose a community order, the purpose of which was for you to receive treatment for your drug and mental health problems. Your counsel has tried to make the same promises of compliance, that has been made on the previous two occasions when you were found to be in breach of the order.”