Brackley ‘serial offender’ is imprisoned after threatening to stab a dog and cut up owners in town park

The man has been sent to prison for 16 months after threatening two women with a kitchen knife because their dog was not on a lead.

Thomas Dilley, aged 35, of Valley Road in Brackley, appeared at Northampton Crown Court last Friday, September 2 after pleading guilty to threatening to damage property, criminal damage, cannabis possession and two counts of threatening a person with a bladed article.

The court heard that - on June 8, 2021 at 6.30pm - Dilley approached two women, who were walking a dog at St James Lake in Brackley.

Steven Taylor, prosecuting, said it was believed Dilley had been sleeping rough in the park and it was ‘clear’ he was intoxicated.

The court heard Dilley - with a kitchen knife in one hand - challenged the women about the dog being off-lead before he became threatening towards them and said, ‘You should put your dog on a lead or I will stab it’.

Mr Taylor told the court the defendant then threatened to ‘cut up’ the women and made reference to a murder victim, who had been dismembered. The women walked away and approached another couple, who phoned the police on their behalf.

Mr Recorder Harbage QC said: “Mercifully, they did not understand that reference or they might have been even more frightened than they were.

“They were amazingly calm in that situation. Nonetheless, it must have been a very upsetting experience for them.”

The court heard that two officers then attended the scene and approached Dilley, who still had a knife in one hand and a beer can in the other - still intoxicated. One officer, whilst holding up a taser, asked Dilley to put down the knife and the defendant was initially compliant.

Police found a small quantity of cannabis on Dilley, the court heard, and he told officers he smoked cannabis on a daily basis.

Mr Taylor said: “The defendant then became more aggressive and resistant and had to be restrained by officers on the ground.”

The court heard that, once Dilley was placed in a police cell, he became ‘aggravated’ and began head butting the cell and throwing food everywhere.

Mr Taylor said that, following a test, 170mg of alcohol was found on 100ml of Dilley’s breath - five times the driving limit.

Dilley has a number of previous convictions - some of which resulting in prison sentences - including assaulting emergency workers, threatening behaviour, assault by beating, being drunk and disorderly, criminal damage, theft and possession of a bladed weapon.

Andrew Gibson, in mitigation, told the court there was no evidence to suggest there were any vulnerable people or children in the area.

Mr Recorder Harbage QC responded: “There is no requirement they have to be present, it is where they are likely to be present. Are children likely to be present in the park?”

The defence barrister accepted this and told the court that Dilley is ‘very remorseful’ about his behaviour and has been unable to deal with his alcohol addiction.

Mr Gibson said: “He has spent three months in custody - the equivalent to a six month sentence - this has given him time to not only consider his circumstances and where his life is going but address his behaviour through completing courses in the prison.”

The court heard that Dilley had completed an alcohol treatment requirement programme with the probation service in the past but this did not have lasting success.

Mr Gibson, however, said that Dilley is sober and provision is in place for his release, which will ensure that he can be clearly monitored by probation officers in stable accommodation.

Mr Recorder Harbage QC, addressing the defendant, said: “Going around threatening innocent people going about their daily lives is simply unacceptable.

“You are no stranger to the courts. You have an appalling history of behaviour. Your pre-sentence report refers to you as a serial volatile offender.”

Dilley was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment and an order was made for the forfeiture and destruction of the knife and cannabis seized.