Machete-wielding teen thought he'd get 'slap on hand', but judge had other plans

A machete-wielding teen thought he'd walk out of court with a "slap on the hand" for brandishing the deadly weapon in a beer garden.

The judge sentencing 18-year-old Nathan Joyce at Liverpool Crown Courton Monday had other plans after he pleaded guilty to possessing the bladed article in a public place. Joyce - who stood in the dock wearing a black and blue tracksuit -waved the terrifying bladeoutside the Bowring golf club in Knowsley, Merseyside.

A member of staff at the gold course was left "extremely concerned" by his actions, prompting him to call the police. The court also heard Joyce had been using ketamine.

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Sentencing, district judge Gwyn Jones said Joyce had an "an unhealthy degree of arrogance and a lack of maturity". It was said the teen was under the impression he would face a "slap on the hand".

The judge said: "A machete is an extremely dangerous weapon. I have listened carefully to the facts and it's clear you were there dressed all in black, in a balaclava, with your friend who was not wearing such dark clothing.

"You made your way to the beer garden area of the club where you showed that you were 'tooled up', that you were in possession of the machete.

"While the court has not heard any evidence from the other parties, it's clear that a member of staff at the Bowring Park golf course was extremely concerned, which was why he called the police.

"You are 18, subject to orders from the lower court, and that order isn't going particularly well.

"I don't have to tell you that possession of knives is something taken extremely seriously by the community and taken very seriously by the court, and you know from your own experience of having been hurt by a bladed article, these are matters that can cause significant pain and death.

"These are very dangerous weapons. People would be fearful on licenced premises - a massive danger of public disorder. You wanted to be seen carrying a machete.

"Your record of offending does you no favours because you were given, in the youth court, a YRO (youth rehabilitation order), which is the sentence closest you can get to a custodial sentence at that court.

"You have not worked particularly well and it's clear that you may still be under the impression that you will be given a little bit of a slap on the hand for not doing what you should be doing. However, you are an adult and now the sentencing options are significantly different.

"Those who carry knives have a serious risk of harm. You should know. You have been hurt yourself. You had been using ketamine. You may not be aware of the significant consequences of that."

He said: "You have an unhealthy degree of arrogance and a lack of maturity. Had this progressed fully as a trial, the sentence would have been in the region of two years."

He sentenced Joyce, of Mansion Drive in Croxteth, to 12 months in a Young Offenders Institution, suspended for 18 months. He also ordered the teenager to carry out 160 hours of unpaid work, reports the Liverpool Echo.