Sunderland man who brandished machete at abusive young people faces jail sentence

Anthony MacPherson, 25, rushed his pet home to Grosvenor Street, Southwick, after being verbally abused by the gang – then grabbed the weapon.

MacPherson caused panic and fear when he went outside with it on Friday, March 17, leading to police being called by multiple witnesses, a court heard.

He could be jailed for up to 30 months after pleading guilty to possession of a bladed article in public, his third same offence.

At South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, he was remanded into custody ahead of sentencing at Newcastle Crown Court on Monday, April 17.

Prosecutor Greg Flaxen said: “The incident was notified or was brought to light by the defendant’s mother who called police.

“She had received a call from her son and in the background heard, ‘What do you want me to do? I’ve a dog’.

“Someone then shouts, ‘Don’t stab him’. He returned the dog and then went outside.

“It’s believed that’s when he got the machete. He was being goaded for a fight. More than one call was made to the police.

“There was a lot of shouting and people running off. It’s not a great scene.

“The area is not the city centre but it’s not far off. It’s a busy shopping street.”

Gerry Armstrong, defending, said MacPherson had been released from a prison term in February, adding: “He had been doing his best to avoid confrontation.

“On Friday, he had been told he had the opportunity to do some initial training for a job. He could see something positive was going to happen.

“He went out for a walk with his dog and had a couple of pints to celebrate that he could see change.

“There was a large group of young people goading and threatening him. They followed him.

“He went back home but it appears that they followed him to his house, and have remained there.

“They gave as good as they got but he has to accept there’s no excuse for arming himself. No-one was injured.

“He made the wrong decision, it was an error on his part. When he got home, he should have called the police.”

Deputy District Judge Arlagh Davies remanded MacPherson into custody.