A dad-of-six was caught at his local KFC with a Samurai Sword and two knives after attempting to buy his kids some fast food.
Martin Williams had downed six pints of Stella lager when he was phoned and told his children were eating at the fried chicken outlet close to his home.
However, the 39-year-old quickly became embroiled in a heated argument with another group on arrival. Eye witnesses later told a court that they saw Williams had a sword down his trousers which fell to the ground in the KFC.
When police arrived Williams was arrested and the knives were recovered from the scene, before he was breathalysed and found to be two-and-a-half times over the drink drive limit.
This week the father dodged jail time after the judge handed out a nine-month prison sentence suspended for two years.
Prosecutor Antony Longworth said the defendant arrived at KFC in High Street, Tunstall, on a motorbike at 1am on July 19 last year. Mr Longworth said: “There were a number of people there including the manager. They saw he had a Samurai sword which fell to the ground. He was holding a bottle.
“He said, ‘Why are you looking at me? What are you looking at? Mind your own business’.
“He returned to the moped. The police had been called and they arrived. He was detained. The sword was recovered. He was arrested for being unfit to drive through drink or drugs. Officers found two knives within the moped seat. The defendant’s children were in the area at the time.”
In his police interview the defendant said he had drunk six pints of Stella. His partner had thrown his belongings out in the street, report Stoke-on-Trent Live. He went to collect the items which included two knives and a sword. He put the knives in his motorbike seat but the sword would not fit so put it down his trousers. He went to KFC to meet his children and buy them a meal. He admitted shouting at another group but could not remember being abusive.
Williams, of Withington Road, Fegg Hayes, pleaded guilty to three charges of possessing a bladed article, drink-driving and driving without insurance.
The court heard the offences placed him in breach of a 12 month community order he received on November 19, 2020 for possession of an offensive weapon - a baseball bat - in public on May 23, 2020.
Jason Holt, mitigating, said the defendant had been split from his partner for some time before the incident. Mr Holt said: “He received a call from a neighbour to say she had thrown his property on the front. He was in drink but was not expecting to drive.
“She chose to throw items on the street on that night and he wanted to recover them.
“The children decided to go to KFC. They took advantage knowing he was in drink. He went there at their request. He did not brandish the sword.”
Mr Holt said the defendant has self referred to MIND and drug and alcohol services. He added the defendant is aware that if he drinks alcohol while on an alcohol abstinence course he will be brought back to court and sent to prison.
As part of the suspended sentence Williams must complete a rehabilitation activity requirement for 30 days, a thinking skills programme and an alcohol abstinence and monitoring programme for 120 days. He was banned from driving for two years.
Judge David Fletcher said: “Had it not been for the fact you have the day to day care for six children you would be going down the stairs today.
“The sword is a fearsome looking item. You collected the items. You got a call to say the children were at KFC. You accept you had drunk six pints of beer and you went to KFC. Your language was not the best. You did not carry the knives.
“There is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation if you stop drinking.”
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