Express & Star

JAILED: Thug threatened men with knife before walking down street shouting 'Rambo'

A thug who threatened two men with a knife before strolling down a Black Country road with the weapon shouting ‘Rambo’ has been locked up.

Published
Wolverhampton Crown Court

Alan Joyce first threatened a man he had argued with at the White Swan pub in Baptist End Road, Netherton, on the afternoon of May 6, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

Around four hours later he knocked at the door of a woman he claimed owed him money in Cole Street, Netherton, but she was not at home.

Instead, he turned on Paul De Groot who had brought his family to visit a relative in the same road.

The 44-year-old followed the visitors, who he did not know, to the address and pulled out the knife when he was not let in.

Damage

The defendant got a stick out of his car and repeatedly hit Mr De Groot’s vehicle with it, causing £2,000 damage, before leaving the scene.

Twenty-five minutes later he drove his Ford Focus into a fence at the Woodman pub in nearby Saltwells Road before heading off down the street brandishing the knife and shouting ‘Rambo’, said Mrs Sati Ruck, prosecuting.

The defendant was described as appearing to be ‘very drunk’ by anxious eye witnesses who alerted police. He was arrested by the officers.

“Any of these three separate incidents could have resulted in serious public disorder," concluded Mrs Ruck.

Miss Jabeen Akhtar, defending, said Joyce had ‘no clear recollection’ of what had happened that day.

She explained he was ‘not thinking straight’ after taking a cocktail of strong medication mixed with illegal drugs and possibly alcohol.

Joyce, of Field Road, Kates Hill, Dudley, admitted three cases of possession of a knife and criminal damage.