A woman who brandished a samurai sword ‘the length of an arm’ on a residential street in Ryde has been handed a suspended sentence.
53-year-old Kelsea Broadfoot, of School Street, Ryde, appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates’ Court for sentencing yesterday (Tuesday) having initially pleaded guilty to possession of a knife blade/sharp pointed article in a public place, on 19th November 2024, at the same court.
Leah Dillon, prosecuting, explained that on 2nd August last year, police were called to Broadfoot’s address following reports that an individual was seen swinging a sword in the middle of the street. As such was the initial 999 call, armed police were immediately dispatched to Oakfield.
The court heard how a local resident, who witnessed the incident, claimed the sword was around the length of his arm.
Armed officers found Broadfoot and the offending sword inside her home address.
Despite the nature of the offence, the Crown Prosecution Service deemed that Broadfoot’s actions were of no direct threat to the public – even though the offence being committed in view of numerous onlookers.
Broadfoot has just the single conviction on her record dating from some 21 years ago in 2004.
Oscar Vincent, defending, said that Broadfoot had displayed a recent good track record of compliance since her arrest, as she had entered a guilty plea at the first opportunity.
Mr Vincent also said that Broadfoot had ‘no memory of the incident’, noting that she had broken a 15-year period of abstinence from alcohol after the death of her long time partner. It was this period of bereavement that had resulted in Broadfoot’s relapse and led to her arrest.
Since the events of August 2024, Broadfoot has taken several steps to address the issues in her life, having self-referred herself to Inclusion and is now attending Alcohol and Narcotics Anonymous meetings on a daily basis.
After lengthy deliberations, Magistrates – who said they need to protect the public from such offences – handed the 53-year-old a 6-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.
Broadfoot was ordered to pay a total of £85 costs and a £154 surcharge fee.
I thought the law was if caught carrying a knife
= a prison sentence, obviously NOT the case.
“Very confusing”
well that’s good then..what’s the point..
No wonder knife crime is rife in the UK
culprits know they just receive a slap on
the wrist.
I didn’t know Swashbuckling took place on
the island.
I have never been to Oakfield, now I know why
I haven’t.