Walsall teenager who wielded machete during violent disorder avoids jail

Omar Faruq was handed a 16 month sentence, suspended for 24 months, at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Monday.

On July 7 this year Faruq, 18, of Redhouse Street, Palfrey, was involved in a disorder in Caldmore Green. He was arrested after being caught with a machete.

Judge Talog Davies handed Faruq 16 month and eight month sentences for possessing an offensive weapon in a public place, namely a machete, and violent disorder, but ruled both were to run concurrently.

However, the judge suspended both sentences, for 24 months, meaning Faruq walked free.

A charge of wounding with intent was ordered to be left on file.

Despite West Midlands Police, the West Midlands Police and Crime and Commissioner Simon Foster, and the Home Office all promising to clampdown on knife crime the spectre of those involved in knife crime not spending time behind bars will become more common.

The Government's new edict to judges to avoid sending criminals to prison due to the lack of spaces in jails is now in effect.

Judges were advised not to send criminals to jail if they were already on bail as that meant they had already been deemed not in the most dangerous bracket of offenders which pose an immediate danger to the public.

This was due to the pressure on the prison population, earlier this month there were 88,016 people incarcerated in England and Wales, perilously close to the capacity of 88, 667.

There has been an increase of more than 6,500 inmates in a year, almost 10,000 up on two years ago and close to the capacity of 88,667.