Knifeman jailed after New Cross Hospital brawl

David Jones was arguing with his partner outside the hospital on January 9 when security officers asked him to leave the site, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

He eventually moved away from the area but was filmed on CCTV removing an object from his pocket and burying it under leaves in the hospital grounds nearby, before returning to resume the row.

When security officers went to retrieve the object they found a kitchen knife with a 10" blade.

Mr Robert Edwards, prosecuting, said security officers had first noticed Jones when he became embroiled in a blazing row with a woman near to the hospital's A&E department.

They decided to keep an eye on the defendant, but when his behaviour became more aggressive they approached him and asked him to leave the site, Mr Edwards said.

Jones then walked away from the area before returning and confronting security officers, who again asked him to leave hospital grounds.

"His reaction to that was, to say the least, a poor one," the prosecutor added. The court was told Jones threatened officers and swore at them, leading to a short altercation that ended when an off-duty police officer intervened.

Mr Edwards continued: "During the time he had been away from the hospital entrance security officers monitoring CCTV had seen him deposit a white package from his pocket onto the floor.

"That package was found to contain a kitchen knife." Police arrested Jones at the scene.

The court was told that during a police interview Jones explained that he had been at the hospital to support his girlfriend who was visiting her ill grandmother.

When shown the CCTV footage he said that he had been rummaging around in the leaves searching for money that he believed had fallen onto the ground through a hole in his pocket.

The court was told that Jones, of Wodensfield Tower, Wednesfield, has previous convictions for 17 offences, including one for assaulting a PCSO and another for a public order offence at Walsall Manor Hospital.

Blondelle Thompson, defending, said that Jones had been unable to cope with a 'difficult situation' when security officers intervened in the dispute with his partner.

She added: "He had the knife because he was targeted and stabbed in November last year. He has said he carried it for comfort rather than to use it.

"He knows that this offence has to be marked by a period of custody. He has a young family that cares deeply about him and he wants to return to them as soon as possible."

Jones, of Wodensfield Tower, Wednesfield, admitted possessing an offensive weapon and a public order offence.

He was sentenced to a total of eight months in prison. The court ordered the destruction of the knife.