Meat-cleaver 'madman' jailed over violent neighbourly dispute

Unemployed tattoo artist Derrick John Anderson was given a six-month jail term for the altercation after he came charging out into the street holding the metal knife above his head.

Leeds Crown Court heard there had been tension between Anderson and his partner with their neighbours for several months on Kinsley House Crescent, in Fitzwilliam, near Pontefract.

On March 22 an argument broke out in the street between Anderson’s partner and the neighbour which became “heated”, prosecutor Harry Crowson said.

The defendant then ran from his property with the cleaver and was shouting in anger.

His neighbour went back into his home and Anderson struck his door twice with the 7” weapon, causing damage.

One witness said he was “acting like a madman, shouting ‘come on’”, but when nobody appeared to challenge him.

The police were called and searched his home a short time later.

Mr Crowson said Anderson had tried to hide the cleaver in his loft but it was found by officers.

He later told police he came out because he thought his girlfriend was being threatened.

The 37-year-old admitted possessing an offensive weapon and criminal damage at an earlier hearing where he was remanded into custody.

The court was told Anderson, also known as Derrick Wellings, has 23 convictions for 59 offences.

This includes two offences involving possessing a bladed article from 2001 and an offensive weapon in 2006.

Under government guidelines, because it is his third similar offence a mandatory prison sentence would be imposed.

A pre-sentence review by probation found that Anderson “has a tendency to resort to violence”.

Mitigating, Caroline Abraham said the father-of-seven’s offences involving weapons dated back to when he just 16 and 22.

She said: “He understands entirely what he has done is wrong.”

Judge Simon Batiste told Anderson: “You were described as acting like a madman.

"You had with you a very unpleasant weapon. It’s more by good luck than good judgement that nobody was hurt.

"You clearly must avoid situations like this, it appears you have a temper.”