Cocaine-fuelled thug jailed after chasing terrified revellers with a knife, bar and wheel brace during New Year celebrations

A cocaine-fulled thug who chased terrified members of the public around a town centre street on New Year's Eve armed with a knife, metal bar and a wheel brace has been jailed.
The events happened on Barnsley Road, South Elmsall.The events happened on Barnsley Road, South Elmsall.
The events happened on Barnsley Road, South Elmsall.

Wayne Adam Derry was caught on CCTV waving the weapons at members of the public outside The Sawmill Bar on South Elmsall's Barnsley Road late on January 31 last year.

He is even seen hitting a female with the metal bar and chasing another male along the street.

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Already in custody, the 39-year-old appeared at Leeds Crown Court where he admitted a charge of affray and possessing an offensive weapon.

His friend, Kieren Thomas Ellerker, age 26, also appeared and admitted a charge of affray.

Prosecuting, Neil Coxon screened the footage taken from that night to the court, and clearly showed Derry armed with a wheel brace, trying to get at a male stood near the doorway of The Sawmill Bar at around 11.20pm.

Derry was shouting and being aggressive so staff at the bar decided to bring the shutters down despite drinkers still inside. At this point Ellerker is with him but is not shown to be getting directly involved.

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Minutes later they get into a white Audi, driven by Ellerker, and drive off, but return minutes later.

Derry then gets out and appears to be holding a metal bar and a knife and is seen aggressively pacing and shouting outside the bar's windows. Ellerker also gets out armed with the wheel brace.

They then get back into the car and drive up Barnsley Road before stopping again, with Derry getting out and heading towards a male and two females brandishing the knife and bar at them.

The male is seen running away and Ellerker tries to block him by mounting the pavement in his Audi.

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After giving up the chase, Derry then heads towards the women and strikes one with the metal bar. The defendants both then get back in the vehicle and Derry was still shouting and pointing with the weapons as they drove off for the last time.

They were arrested a short time later with Derry claiming he had been in The Sawmill but had "no issues", before being shown the CCTV footage.

Mr Coxon added: "He had no idea why he behaved like that. He did not know the people he was threatening.

"He says he had taken cocaine for the first time and he admitted his actions would have scared people."

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Ellerker told police he had been drinking rum and smoking cocaine. He said he had not threatened anyone and described Derry as "nuts".

The court was told Derry had 25 previous convictions including assault, battery, and ABH with led to him being jailed.

He was also jailed earlier this year for breaching a non-molestation order.

Defending for Derry, Kate Bisset said the defendants, both of Main Street, Upton, had earlier come across a friend who had been subject to an "attack" before the evening's events, that he was unconscious, and could have contributed to Derry's state of mind at the time.

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She said her client had shown remorse for the events on New Year's Eve, adding: "For the fist time in a long time he expresses his desire to not waste his years in prison. He is, quite frankly, getting too old for this.

"He acted entirely foolishly on that night and deserves to be punished but he hopes for a positive future."

Defending Ellerker, Craig Sutcliffe, said his client had just one conviction but is under strain because of a close family member who is suffering from terminal cancer.

Judge Rodney Jameson QC jailed Derry for 16 months and said: "You said you came across a friend in an injured condition, there's some skepticism about if that's what this is all about.

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"Something must have happened because it's difficult to contribute your behaviour solely on drink and drugs."

Handing Ellerker and eight-month sentence, suspended for a year, he said: "In your case Ellerker, you were largely an observer to what was going on. Your fault is bringing Derry back to scene on more than one occasion."

Ellerker was also handed a six-month driving ban.