Bolton man took hammer and cannabis to scene of protest

Police came across Mathew Edge on Sunday, August 4, at around 1pm before any disruption took place.

He caught their attention as he was wearing a balaclava.

Officers searched him and found he had a hammer concealed his waistband and a small amount of cannabis.

Kate Gaskell, prosecuting, said: "He informed the officer he had carried the hammer as he feared people using knives on him.

"He said he was scared of people stabbing him and his friends.

"He said he had been at the pub with a friend and had drunk one pint of 0% Guinness.

"He repeatedly apologised saying it was his own fault and he had got agitated and scared.

"He further said he wasn’t a racist, his friend had told him to come down and he had made a very bad stupid mistake.”

(Image: GMP)

She added: “The defendant was interviewed without a solicitor saying the hammer had been given to him by a friend who he had met.

“He denied being aware of what was going on in town thinking it was linked to the football.”

Edge, 34 and of no fixed abode, appeared in court to be sentenced after admitting possession of an offensive weapon and possession of cannabis.

The court heard he had 18 previous convictions including for public disorder and burglary.

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Alex Beevers, defending, said the court had to balance rehabilitation with deterrence.

He said: “His decision on that day was extremely injudicious and extremely stupid.

“He goes having made a rash decision to enclose himself with a weapon where it would inevitably descend into hooliganism.

“This is a man who is capable of being rehabilitation.

“He had a long period out trouble, he had a community order for possession with intent to supply a class B drug, that was completed without a breach.

“‘If an example is to be made of him so be it, he accepts that, his words are ‘if I have to go to jail I have to go to jail,’ he is fearful of that.”

The Honorary Recorder of Bolton Judge Martin Walsh said: “Matthew Edge you have been committed to the crown court for sentence having pleaded guilty before the justices to an offence of possession of an offensive weapon and possession of cannabis.

" You will receive appropriate credit to reflect the timing of your guilty pleas.

"On the 3rd and 4th of August significant public disorder resulted from large scale disturbances that occurred in the Bolton area.

"Bolton was one of five areas across Greater Manchester which experienced substantial levels of unrest and disorder which had broken out in an utterly misguided and totally unjustified reaction to the tragic events that had unfolded in Southport some days before.

"Greater Manchester Police were faced with an extremely challenging task in containing the widespread public disorder and in protecting both the public and property. Such were the fears that serious public disorder would occur that a dispersal order pursuant to the provisions of S34 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Police Act 2014 had been put in place.

"At about 1pm on Sunday, August 4, you were present in Bolton town centre.

"You were wearing a balaclava face covering and had joined a crowd which was gathering around the town hall.

"You were approached by a police officer, searched and found to be in possession of a hammer which was concealed in the waistband of your trousers.

"You were also in possession of a small amount of cannabis.

"Your arrest occurred within the context of a significant incident of public disorder.

"Many individuals will have attended in order to engage in peaceful demonstration, but a significant number were intent upon seeking confrontation, using violence and causing large scale public disorder.

"Your presence within the large group that had congregated in the vicinity of the town hall was not accidental or coincidental.

"You had arrived in Bolton town centre having armed yourself with an offensive weapon and having consciously made a decision to mask your identity.

"Although prior to being searched you had not produced the weapon, it is clear that at the very least you anticipated an outbreak of public disorder in which weapons might be used

"You are 34 years old and have 18 convictions for 32 offences including previous convictions for public disorder, although your last conviction was in 2018.

"There is no pre-sentence report but l am satisfied, given the gravity of the offence for which you fall to be sentenced that only an immediate sentence of Imprisonment can be justified.

 "In determining the appropriate custodial term I have had regard to the guidelines issued by the sentencing council.

"This is clearly a case that falls within category one of the guideline.

"l am quite satisfied that in this case it is appropriate so to do.

"You were part of a large group, many members of which were clearly intent upon causing significant public disorder, damage to property and the use or threatened use of violence: "You had attended at the demonstration having made a decision to arm yourself with a hammer and to disguise your appearance in order to conceal your identity.

"The potential for causing injury by the possession of an offensive weapon in such circumstances was significant. Indeed, in arming yourself as you did, you must have recognised that the hammer might have been used by you to inflict injury upon others or to cause damage to property.

"For the offence of possession of an offensive weapon in a public place, had you been convicted after trial the appropriate sentence would have been one of 18 months imprisonment.

"Giving you full credit for the timing of your plea, the sentence is one of 12 months imprisonment to be served immediately.

"There will be no separate penalty for the possession of the small amount of cannabis which was for your personal use."

He said there was no alternative to custody and jailed him for a year.