Jail term for school machete man

1:17pm Thursday 28th August 2008

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A FATHER has been given a four-month jail term after being seen with a machete outside a school.

David Johnson, of Ford Mill Road, Catford, was reported to police by pupils who spotted the weapon in the boot of his car on March 3, 2006.

The 39-year-old maintenance worker claimed he bought the 2ft-long blade for work and had forgotten about it when he drove to Tom Hood School in Leytonstone, east London.

Snaresbrook Crown Court heard today (August 28) how Johnson, who pleaded guilty to possessing a bladed article, told police he was just waiting in the car for his partner.

Prosecutor Caroline Moonan said: "He claimed his daughter was being bullied and his partner had gone in to deal with the matter.

"He was asked if he knew any reason why the police would be called."

At this point, Johnson had said: "It was a young lad. I had my boot open and he and some others made a fuss about something I've got in my boot I use for cutting trees."

Judge Wendy Joseph accepted Johnson did not intend to use the blade and gave him a four-month jail term - equal to the time he had already served on remand.

The judge said: "This is a nasty weapon but it wasn't in his mind it was there and he wasn't intending to use it in any way."