Farnworth axeman jailed after 12-hour rooftop stand-off with police

Stephen Wallwork was determined to escape when officers arrived at his mother’s home on at 8.30am on May 12 last year, to return him to prison.

He grabbed an axe and clambered down a drainpipe before being chased through several streets until he reached Maple Close, Kearsley.

There he broke into a house, terrifying the woman inside, reassured her he did not want to hurt her and then smashed his way through tiles onto the roof.

There he remained, scampering onto neighbouring roofs and ripping off more tiles to hurl at police vehicles nearby.

Wallwork on a roof in Maple Close, Kearsley

At Bolton Crown Court, sentencing 32-year-old Wallwork to four years and three months in prison, Recorder Michael Taylor told him he had behaved like a ‘latter-day Ned Kelly”, the infamous Australian outlaw.

Philip Hall, prosecuting, told the court how Wallwork was on licence from prison for robbery when police arrived at South Avenue, Kearsley, to return him to jail. He was being investigated for an offence of wounding but no charges were subsequently brought against him.

After being let into the house by his mother, the officers found Wallwork in a bedroom where he was wielding an axe towards them.

“The defendant’s face was contorted with rage and the officers feared for their lives,” said Mr Hall.

The officers back away as Wallwork shouted threats before climbing down a drainpipe and through a neighbour’s garden.

Emergency services at the scene

He was chased through several streets before ending up in the garden of a house in Maple Close.

Undeterred by officers with tasers, he stood up from behind a bin, using the lid as a shield and raised the axe up as if he was about to throw it.

“At some points you used planks of wood to cover your body like a latter day Ned Kelly to protect yourself from the effects of being tasered,” Recorder Taylor told Wallwork.

Fearing for their safety, police withdrew again and Wallwork smashed glass in a locked kitchen door to get inside the house.

“He continued to threaten officers saying he had a firearm,” said Mr Hall.

A 27-year-old woman inside the property was frightened by the commotion and made a frantic phone call to her father before heading for her bedroom where she braced herself against the door to try and prevent the intruder getting inside.

“She wasn’t strong enough to keep the door closed and the defendant pushed it just enough to open it slightly,” said Mr Hall.

Ambulance at the scene

The court heard that Wallwork was apologetic to the woman.

“He told her his name was Stephen and that he was on the run from the police. He kept apologising, saying he wasn’t going to hurt her,” said Mr Hall.

Wallwork headed up into the loft and shouted down, telling her she should leave and she fled the house with her two dogs.

“She was visibly shaking and frightened,” said Mr Hall.

Wallwork smashed his way through the roof and began a 12-hour stand-off with police.

Wallwork on a roof

The road was sealed off and large numbers of uniformed officers, firearms officers and a dog patrol were at the scene as Wallwork ran over the roofs of adjoining properties, shouting threats at police.

“There were times when he would rip up slates and throw them deliberately towards police vehicles, causing damage to at least two vehicles,” said Mr Hall.

“He would use the axe to chop up roof tiles to create smaller missiles which he would then throw towards the officers, causing them to fear for their safety.

At one stage he ripped off an aerial cable and threatened to use it as a noose to kill himself.

In total damage, estimated at more than £7,000, was caused to the houses and two police vehicles.

“The incident had a significant effect on members of the public. People were forced to leave their homes from around 9am until the incident concluded at around 9-9.30pm,” said Mr Hall.

“Members of the public were angry and annoyed that they were unable to complete their daily routine or go to work.”

Wallwork eventually climbed down, gave himself up and has been in prison ever since. He pleaded guilty to affray, burglary with intent, four counts of causing criminal damage and possessing an axe.

Police at the stand-off in Maple Close, Kearsley

Michael Johnson, defending, described the offending as an “unusual set of circumstances”.

He added that Wallwork acknowledges that the woman whose house he broke into would have been frightened.

“That is to his great shame. Whatever it was that he sought to achieve by his misguided actions that day, it wasn’t to instil terror or fear into a young lady who is simply minding her own business,” said Mr Johnson.

“He had no intention, whatsoever, of harming her or the two little dogs in the house.”

Stephen Wallwork

He added that, at the time, Wallwork had been working in a factory, had a new relationship, stable accommodation and was trying to put his past behind him when he was recalled to prison.

“He was trying to rebuild his life and saw it all ebbing away in circumstances which he perceived as unjust,” said Mr Johnson.