Man found with machete and drugs at busy railway station narrowly avoids jail
A man caught with a machete at a busy railway station has avoided going to jail.
Police found Leon Bloomfield carrying the deadly blade, as well as cannabis, at Crewe station on March 7.
The 23-year-old appeared at South Cheshire Magistrates Court in Crewe on Tuesday, after admitting possession of class B and possession of a knife on March 27.
The court gave Bloomfield, of Tame Close, Walsall, a six-month jail term suspended for 18 months, saying the reason for the custodial sentence was due his previous record, the fact he was caught at a railway station and that it was carried for protection. However, the court noted he was engaging with services that would give him a realistic prospect of rehabilitation, as they decided to suspend the prison sentence.
Bloomfield was also given an 18-month supervision order which involved up to 25 rehabilitation activity days.
He must also pay £120 costs and a £154 surcharge, while the court ordered the drugs be destroyed and the machete seized.
Speaking afterwards, British Transport Police sergeant Jonathan Raymond said: "There is a never an excuse to carry such a potentially lethal weapon in a public place.
"Thanks to our intervention another knife is now off the streets.
"If you are ever suspicious of someone’s behaviour on the rail network, please report it by sending us a text discreetly on 61016.”
