Groyne Strain
Manager
With thanks to the Newcastle Evening Chronicle for publishing this little gem ....
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Drunken man in five-hour siege
Oct 17 2007 by Rob Kennedy, Evening Chronicle
A SWORD-wielding drunk sparked a five-hour siege in an argument over a stolen mobile phone.
Armed police surrounded a house on the Meadow Well, North Shields, after a man brandished a sword in the street.
A 24-year-old, named locally as John Mason, then climbed on to the roof of his house and began ripping off tiles and throwing them at police.
Today his girlfriend, Gemma Blacklock, 17, said he had ‘lost it’ after being accused of taking a mobile phone.
Gemma, who lives on Malton Crescent, where the incident happened, said: “He’s harmless. He just had too much to drink.
“He’d had a bottle and a half of vodka and when he drinks spirits he kicks off. He’s OK with lager because he drinks every day.
“I don’t know what sparked it. He just started kicking off. I think he had been accused of pinching someone’s mobile phone.
“In the end I think he came down because the police said he could have a can and a tab.”
The incident started around 10pm yesterday, when armed police were called out.
There was a stand-off between officers and the man in the house.
He then climbed through the loft of the property and climbed on to the roof. He began throwing tiles at police.
Trained police negotiators were sent to the scene and the siege finally ended at 3am when police armed with taser guns went into the property.
A police spokesman said: “We were called to Avon Avenue just before 10pm last night after a report that a man was in possession of a sword and had stolen a mobile phone.
“Officers, including taser officers, attended and found the man at a house on Malton Crescent.
“A 24-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage, theft and possession of an offensive weapon. He is helping police with inquiries.”
A 32-year-old resident said: “It went on nearly all night.
“He had totally lost the plot and was wielding this sword then went on the roof and started pulling the tiles off and throwing them.
“He was obviously drunk and something had made him unhappy.’’
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:hilarious:
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Drunken man in five-hour siege
Oct 17 2007 by Rob Kennedy, Evening Chronicle
A SWORD-wielding drunk sparked a five-hour siege in an argument over a stolen mobile phone.
Armed police surrounded a house on the Meadow Well, North Shields, after a man brandished a sword in the street.
A 24-year-old, named locally as John Mason, then climbed on to the roof of his house and began ripping off tiles and throwing them at police.
Today his girlfriend, Gemma Blacklock, 17, said he had ‘lost it’ after being accused of taking a mobile phone.
Gemma, who lives on Malton Crescent, where the incident happened, said: “He’s harmless. He just had too much to drink.
“He’d had a bottle and a half of vodka and when he drinks spirits he kicks off. He’s OK with lager because he drinks every day.
“I don’t know what sparked it. He just started kicking off. I think he had been accused of pinching someone’s mobile phone.
“In the end I think he came down because the police said he could have a can and a tab.”
The incident started around 10pm yesterday, when armed police were called out.
There was a stand-off between officers and the man in the house.
He then climbed through the loft of the property and climbed on to the roof. He began throwing tiles at police.
Trained police negotiators were sent to the scene and the siege finally ended at 3am when police armed with taser guns went into the property.
A police spokesman said: “We were called to Avon Avenue just before 10pm last night after a report that a man was in possession of a sword and had stolen a mobile phone.
“Officers, including taser officers, attended and found the man at a house on Malton Crescent.
“A 24-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage, theft and possession of an offensive weapon. He is helping police with inquiries.”
A 32-year-old resident said: “It went on nearly all night.
“He had totally lost the plot and was wielding this sword then went on the roof and started pulling the tiles off and throwing them.
“He was obviously drunk and something had made him unhappy.’’
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:hilarious:
