A man armed with a ceremonial knife who went to scare his sister’s new boyfriend before discarding it in a park has been jailed.

Carl Parkin was handed the ornate foot-long Japanese Tanto knife during a house clear-out earlier the same day.

Parkin, of Burgh Mill Gardens in Dewsbury, then took it with him after he went to confront his sister’s boyfriend as he disliked the fact that he had moved into his family’s home.

Shocked neighbours called police after witnessing the 27-year-old with the knife. He was then caught with the weapon inside Crow Nest Park in the town.

Parkin was jailed for two months after Kirklees magistrates told him that it was only through good fortune that the weapon was not used.

At the Huddersfield court he had pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of an offensive weapon in public.

The court heard that police were called to Burgh’s home address in the afternoon of July 23.

Alex Bozman, prosecuting, said: “It was reported that a male in the street had entered the address with a machete.

Kirklees Magistrates Court, Huddersfield.
Kirklees Magistrates Court, Huddersfield.

“Officers attended and that male, Mr Parkin, had left the scene in a silver Peugeot. Police then received further information that Mr Parkin was at a different location in Crow Nest Park”.

Upon his arrest, Parkin told police: “Sorry, I only wanted to scare him.”

Mr Bozman told magistrates: “He said he was unhappy about his sister bringing a strange man into his mother’s house.

“He accepted it wasn’t an item to be carried in public and that the only use of a Tanto knife was to cause damage.”

Magistrates heard that Parkin was previously cautioned for possession of an offensive weapon after an ornamental knife bought at a shop in Cleethorpes was found inside his rucksack.

Robert Dawson, mitigating, explained that Parkin had been given the knife as a present after his partner’s father cleared out his home earlier in the day.

He said Parkin then put the knife in his car and drove to his mum’s house to ‘have words’ with his sister’s boyfriend.

Mr Dawson said that the knife had a loop attachment which became attached to Parkin’s belt as he got out of the car.

He told magistrates: “At no stage was this knife used to threaten anybody.

“He’s apologised to anybody who may have been upset by what they’ve seen.”

The court was told that Parkin had a number of health issues, including a recent diagnosis of Tourette syndrome, and his use of cannabis did not contribute well to his health or judgements.

As well as jailing him for eight weeks, magistrates told him to pay £180 court charge and £80 victim surcharge.