Axe-wielding Brackley man given suspended sentence for carrying weapon through town centre

Police officers arrested Leyton Gondrez on January 20 after responding to 999 calls reporting a man in the Market Place acting aggressively while in possession of an axe.

Officers tracked the 32-year-old down to a room at the Crown Hotel and arrested him after staff had managed to take the weapon from him.

While under arrest and on the way to custody, the Brackley man was verbally abusive to officers and called one a homophobic slur.

During the trial at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on September 26, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a knife blade or sharp-pointed article in a public place.

The resident of Winston Crescent, Brackley, also admitted one count of using threatening, abusive, or insulting words or behaviour to cause arassment, alarm, or distress..

He was then sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months and subject to 12 months’ supervision, and ordered to undergo a six-month alcohol treatment period, complete a maximum of 25 days of rehabilitation activity, and complete 60 hours of unpaid work within 12 months.

Gondrez was also given a concurrent suspended sentence for the public order offence, with a further 20 hours of unpaid work ordered to be completed and ordered to incur £310 in costs and a £154 victim surcharge.

Northamptonshire Police said: “We are tackling serious violence and weapons offences as a matter of priority. To find out more about our campaign, visit our website here.”