Tattoo shop customer jailed after wielding axe at staff
STAFF at a tattoo shop were left "utterly terrified" when a menacing customer suddenly returned – wielding a fearsome axe – and angrily threatened to cause damage.
He raised the axe above his head and smashed it down on a counter during a furious rage, Grimsby Crown Court heard.
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Breached community order: Police found Mussell hiding in a cupboard in his living room.
Barry Mussell, 51, of Duncombe Street, Grimsby, admitted possessing an axe as an offensive weapon, affray, theft and possessing cannabis on August 7.
Laurinda Bower, prosecuting, said Mussell went to the Tattoo Shack, in Freeman Street, Grimsby, and had a tattoo put on his neck.
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Staff later discovered that items, including a mobile phone, belonging to Dave Williams, were missing and realised that Mussell must have stolen them.
They chased after Mussell and accused him of taking a wallet. He denied it and emptied his pockets but he was later found trying to sell the mobile phone.
Mussell returned to the shop with a 2ft-long axe and threatened to cause damage to vehicles.
"He raised the axe above his head and brought it down, smashing a glass ornament tiger on the front counter," said Miss Bower.
Police later found him hiding in a cupboard in his living room. A 3ft-long felling axe was there and he had a small amount of cannabis on him.
Mussell later claimed he had been assaulted by two men from the shop over the theft. He denied waving the axe about.
Recorder Julian Goose QC told Mussell: "The people inside the shop must have been utterly terrified by you coming in, shouting and swearing, and threatening to cause damage with that axe."
It was an "extremely frightening weapon" to be brought out in a public place, he added.
Mussell admitted breaching a community order, including supervision and a curfew, imposed on July 16 for an assault in which he threw frozen food at a shop worker, hitting his head.
"People would be shocked if I didn't send you straight to prison," said Recorder Goose.
Mussell was jailed for ten months. The sentence included a consecutive two months for breaching the community order.
Comments
by Leveret2
Thursday, September 27 2012, 12:20AM
“What, in the Year 1000 ? They wouldn't have been showing off their titchy two-footers in those days, I'll be bound. No: 'the longer the shaft, the mightier the stroke', they'd have said and no mistake.
Fellow should be ashamed of himself, brandishing such a tiny t00l publicly.”
by phantom2012
Tuesday, September 25 2012, 4:38PM
“It's not all about "how big it is"you know......lol.”
by Leveret2
Tuesday, September 25 2012, 1:17PM
“It's all about denial, isn't it ? These days, any self-respecting axeman must have that extra-foot add-on he can slot into place before hiding it in his cupboard, all ready for denial when it's discovered.
Goodness knows what our proud Viking forebears would make of it. They must be turning in Valhalla! 3ft axes, indeed. Is it 'eck as like an axe ? Nobbut an 'atchet, lad! Nay, in our day in similar circumstances we would be honing the old double-headed six-footers, without a shadow of a doubt. Antagonising shopkeepers is all a bit soft really, old chap.”
by phantom2012
Tuesday, September 25 2012, 12:07PM
“Maybe he made it a sawn off ....lol”
by Leveret2
Tuesday, September 25 2012, 12:53AM
“Just a moment. The axe raised in the shop was 2 ft long. But the one in his living room cupboard was 3 ft long. It couldn't have been the same axe, then. No wonder he denied waving it!”
by phantom2012
Tuesday, September 25 2012, 12:48AM
“Good idea grim oldie, but lets not confuse him using big words eh...? Lol”
by grimoldie
Monday, September 24 2012, 9:28PM
“I think he should have the words THUG and MUG tattooed across his forehead.”
by phantom2012
Monday, September 24 2012, 8:03PM
“Another daft thief, get yourself a tattoo so you are more easy to identify eh? What a muppet...!”
by zombie101
Monday, September 24 2012, 2:55PM
“has been in and out of prisonall his life this will nothing for him,total waister.”
by CousinBette
Monday, September 24 2012, 1:55PM
“When a man gets to the age of 51 years as he's still pratting about getting tattoos, smoking cannabis, and opportunistic thieving, not to mention already being in possession of supervision and curfew order; it's a clear case of arrested development and a complete inability to behave like a grown up. On top of locking him away from 10 months, I'd make him wear a big, pink babygrow, suck a dummy, sleep in a cot and get the other prisoners to take him out for walks in a pram. Also, feed him a diet of warm milk and rusks!”