Man who took dagger to pub days after shouting 'obey me' at ex's house gets suspended sentence
A shirtless man who took a dagger to a pub two weeks after turning up at his ex's house shouting "you will obey me" has appeared in court.
Police were called to The Rose and Crown pub at 2.30am on July 3 last year where Christopher Beecham was seen without a top on and "acting erratically".
After initial fears he had a gun and a search later found a golden dagger in his bag.
Wolverhampton Magistrates' Court heard how the incident occurred 15 days after Beecham arrived at his ex's house. After being told he wasn't allowed in, he was heard shouting "bow down, you will obey me" and "everyone should respect me".
Magistrates were told that 43-year-old Beecham had admitted possession of a bladed article at the pub and criminal damage at his ex's home, but was convicted of of two counts of common assault and driving without due care and attention relating to the incident at his former partner's house on June 18 2022 when he appeared for sentencing on Monday.
Speaking about the pub incident, Mr Dan Tonks, prosecuting, said officers were called at around 2.30am on July 3.
"Police attended and saw the defendant outside the pub shirtless and acting erratically," he said. After a search of his bag revealed the dagger he made a "full and frank admission".
Mr Tonks then turned his attentions to the incident in Stourbridge two weeks earlier. Beecham had driven to the home of his ex, with whom he shares five children.
"Police were called around 5pm because of the defendant's behaviour," Mr Tonks said. "He was shouting because she would not allow him into the address. He then left shouting orders 'bow down, you will obey me' and 'everyone should respect me'."
The court then heard how his former partner later called for nearby friends to come over. The friends were walking through an alleyway that emerged opposite the house when they saw Beecham getting into his Mercedes Sprinter van.
"They tried to hide behind a bush as they didn't want him to see them," Mr Tonks continued.
However, he told the court that Beecham did see them, and as he left the driveway he continued to go straight across the road towards the bush on the footpath where they were hiding, only turning away at the last moment.
"They were worried they were going to be run over," Mr Tonks added, explaining that this was one of the common assault charges. CCTV video later played to magistrates showed the van leaving the driveway and going across the road.
Beecham also broke a kitchen window with an axe handle, though there was no charge for possession of an axe.
In a personal statement, once victim had made her "feel anxious and on the edge", and that she didn't want him to be around her children. She also said the incident had put a lot of stress on her body, leaving her worried about her baby. She went to hospital to have it checked, but all was well.
His former partner, speaking through a personal statement, added: "This makes me feel scared and frightened. I don't want him back. I feel intimidated."
However, Mr Tonks also said that since the incident the family had said they did want a relationship with the defendant "if he progresses and sorts himself out", and prosecutors were not applying for a restraining order.
Mitigating, Mr Samuel Christopher, told the court Beecham had paid for the shattered window and stopped to apologise for his driving, saying he didn't see them.
"In respect to the knife offence, it was in his bag, not brandished," he said, adding that he pleaded guilty to having the dagger at the earliest opportunity."
He continued: "It's encouraging to hear the family are, not saying reconciliation as there's a lot of work to do, but they haven't excluded him."
Sentencing Beecham, Mr George Walker noted the defendant had a previous conviction for possession of a bladed article dating back to 2006. For having the dagger, the magistrate handed out a four-month prison sentence suspended for 12 months. A forfeiture and destruction order on the knife was also made.
Beecham, of Gordon Crescent, Brierley Hill, was also given 12-month community order and four-month curfew, between 7pm and 7am, for the common assault and criminal damage convictions. He was also ordered to take part in up to 40 rehabilitation activity dates, pay £154 surcharge and £550 costs.
He also had his driving licence endorsed with nine penalty points for driving without due care and attention.
