Man jailed after brandishing knife in police stand-off while holding child

Gareth Hamlet, of Rother Road, Canklow, threatened to stab a police officer and only surrendered himself after being tasered.

The 30-year-old, who had admitted a count of affray at a previous hearing, was jailed for 18 months at Sheffield Crown Court last Friday.

The court heard police were called to Hamlet’s previous address, in Swallownest, in January after a neighbour reported a suspected domestic violence incident.

Miss Stephanie Hall, prosecuting, said police officers could see a group of people out on the street which included Hamlet’s partner.

“The officers were given information that the defendant had locked himself in the house with his three children,” Miss Hall told the court.

“He then appeared at an upstairs window holding a child that the officers described as having the appearance of being about two years old.”

Miss Hall said Hamlet, who had 43 previous convictions, swore at the officers and then brandished a large kitchen knife, while making “threats to stab an officer in the neck and head”.

She added: “He still had the child with him at this stage and the child appeared distressed.”

Hamlet climbed onto the flat roof of the building and trained negotiators had to attend.

“He eventually came out of the house, handed over the small child and ran back inside,” said Miss Hall.

Hamlet appeared upstairs again shortly afterwards and threw items at the officers including a piece of wood and children’s toys, said Miss Hall.

The police officer had to use his taser on Hamlet to bring the stand-off to an end, the court heard.

Hamlet later told police that he had not made threats and had only held the knife to move it away from the child.

He was sentenced jointly with Becky Parsons (28) of Gawber Road, Barnsley, after both admitted a charge of affray over an incident in Rotherham town centre in which a man suffered a broken nose and a fractured facial bone.

Hamlet and Parsons were s sentenced to one month in prison for this offence, with Hamlet’s sentence concurrent to his 18-month jail term.

Mr Dermot Hughes, mitigating for Hamlet, said he had been in trouble as a youngster and “craves stability”.

Parsons, who had no previous convictions, was also sentenced for an incident in a pharmacy last October, unconnected to Hamlet, where she bit a member of staff after walking in and waving a pair of scissors around.

Parsons said she had taken cannabis, which she believed had been cut with the drug Spice, and cocaine.

She was sentenced to nine months in jail suspended for two years.

Parsons was cleared of two counts of possessing a bladed article, while both defendants were acquitted of assault.

South Yorkshire Police would not release a custody photo of Hamlet.