Knife-threat thug tasered by police in town centre

Wigan and Leigh magistrates heard how David Hughes intended “to stab a member of door staff” who he had argued with but was caught by officers as he walked along King Street West in the early hours of April 24.

Bobbies were alerted to the 46-year-old, of Sillitoe Drive, Gidlow, by somebody at his home address after he had returned home to pick up the knife before heading back into town.

Prosecutors say that Hughes, who pleaded guilty to possessing a bladed article in a public placem had spent the day in Manchester watching a football match and was heavily intoxicated.

He was picked up on CCTV cameras and then located by police who asked him to drop the weapon - but he refused.

Prosecuting, Steve Woodman said: “Police officers received information that there was a male heading into the town centre who had a knife and he was going to stab a member of door staff after an earlier argument.

“The officers spotted him on CCTV after recognising a Manchester City top he was said to have been wearing.

“An officer saw him on King Street West and shouted to him to stand still and show his hands. He ignored him and carried on walking.

“The officer could see a knife in his pocket and that his right hand was on the knife.”

The court heard how he was asked two more times to stand still and put the weapon on the ground but he continued to ignore the shouted commands.

Officers then resorted to tasering him.

This temporarily disabled him sufficiently for the knife, which had a four-inch blade, to be recovered and he was arrested.

Referring to Hughes’s police interview, Mr Woodman added: “He stated he had gone into Manchester to watch the Manchester City game.

“He had been drinking alcohol and got the train back to Wigan and went into pubs there.

“He said he remembered having had an altercation with three Asian men but doesn’t remember going home to pick the knife up.

“He accepts that it was his knife from his kitchen and that he was extremely intoxicated.”

Mark Ferguson, defending, said: “He hasn’t been in trouble for a long time and has pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.”

Magistrates sent the case to Liverpool Crown Court for sentencing on Wednesday June 1 and Hughes was released on bail.