Liam Spillane gets 16 months for threatening a couple with a knife in Keighley, admitting guilt and common assault.
Emily Hassell is the prosecutor. She told the court about the incident, which happened in Keighley on January 4th. Spillane, 25, approached a couple near a store around 4 PM.
Spillane accused them of hurting his friend and threatened them, saying “You two are dead.” The woman tried to calm him down, but Spillane responded with another threat: “You’ve got this coming.” Spillane then pulled out a six-inch steak knife. The man feared Spillane would stab him.
The man ran into the store, shut the door, and called the police. The woman stayed outside with Spillane, who was very angry at this point. He continued to threaten to kill the man.
The woman pleaded with Spillane to calm down, but he still held the knife, shouting at the man in the shop and yelling for him to come outside. Eventually, he put the knife in his pocket, but part of the knife handle remained visible. The woman grabbed it to disarm him.
Spillane then grabbed her clothes, and they both fell to the ground in what the court called a “tussle.” The man came out to help her and punched Spillane in the face several times, after which Spillane ran away.
Police found Spillane a few hours later. He first said he had been in a fight, then claimed he fell, admitting it was his fault. His behavior was seen as “erratic.” He was taken to the hospital with deep cuts on his hands before being arrested.
Spillane said he was drunk during the incident and claimed the couple had threatened him, stating she threatened him with the knife. Spillane had past convictions, including possessing a hammer in public, arson, and dishonesty.
Saf Salam defended Spillane, arguing that he did not plan the threats and described the event as spontaneous, coming from a highly charged situation. Salam said Spillane had a long history of mental illness, namely paranoid schizophrenia.
He stayed in a mental health facility for three years and was released two months earlier. Salam stated Spillane knew what he was doing. Judge Abdul Iqbal KC sentenced him to 16 months for the knife and an extra four weeks for assault, to run concurrently.
Judge Iqbal said he caused fear and distress, that the incident went on for a long time, and there was a risk of public disorder. Judge Iqbal also said he threatened their lives and ordered the knife to be destroyed.