Knifeman was spotted hiding up a tree in a frightened woman's garden

A knifeman who was caught hiding in a tree in a woman's garden after he had been taking cocaine has been jailed.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.Chesterfield magistrates' court.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Wednesday, March 28, how Gareth Havard, 30, of Ruby Way, Mansfield, was spotted up a tree in the garden of a property in a village between Chesterfield and Bolsover.

Prosecuting solicitor Becky Allsop said: “Police were called at 6pm, on Thursday, November 2, last year, by a resident on Out Lane, at Stainsby, saying that a male was up a tree in her garden and she was frightened and she had let her dogs out.”

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Havard told police it had been the anniversary of his friend’s death and he had not been home since the previous day and he had been taking cocaine and had a knife in a pocket because he was a joiner.

He added that he had been to Heath to look at a job but his car ran out of fuel and he decided to take cocaine and he was chased by youths in Stainsby and he had jumped over a wall and climbed up a tree.

Havard claimed he had taken the knife from his Landrover because he feared that if someone had spotted it they might steal it from his vehicle.

The defendant, formerly of Oak Tree Road, Sutton-in-Ashfield, pleaded guilty to possessing a folding pocket knife in a public place without good reason or lawful authority.

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He also pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine after he was found with traces of the class A drug.

Havard also admitted breaching a suspended prison sentence order which had previously been imposed for a common assault.

Defence solicitor Morgan Hogarth said the defendant abandoned his vehicle after it ran out of fuel at Clay Cross and he was reminded of the death of his friend who had died after an overdose in 2014.

Mr Hogarth added that Havard decided to walk home and he took the cocaine while he was walking and he lost track of time and was even reported by his partner as missing to police.

Magistrates sentenced Havard to nine weeks of custody and ordered him to pay a £115 victim surcharge.