Children left 'terrified' by thug wielding a kitchen knife in Leeds play park

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Children were left terrified after a thug was waving a kitchen knife around in a public park and took a football from a youngster.

The police were called after Kadeem Macfarlane was brandishing the blade in Haslewood Park, and was kicking the ball about. He was then was seen to leave and walk into his property on nearby Torre Gardens.

Officers attended the address at around 5.30pm on September 9, 2022, and found the 27-year-old and the knife, but he continued to deny being responsible after giving a no-comment interview. He was found guilty of possessing a bladed article in public after a trial at Leeds Magistrates’ Court earlier this year.

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Macfarlane (pictured) pulled out the knife in Haslewood Park while children were playing, and took a football from a youngster. (pics by WYP / Google Maps)

He appeared at Leeds Crown Court this week for sentencing. Prosecutor Andrew Nixon said footage of Macfarlane had been taken by one scared youngster in the park, while the parent of another said their four-year-old had “not stopped crying” because they were so afraid.

Mr Nixon said that since that offence, Macfarlane had been caught carrying a knife for a second time on March 23 last year. He was found with the weapon in a shop in Harehills. He admitted possessing a blade on that occasion, but maintained it was a kitchen knife he had just bought for cooking. He was given a 16-week suspended sentence.

He has 13 previous convictions for 26 offences, including violence and public disorder.

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Mitigating for Macfarlane, Jordan Millican said that despite having violent incidents on his record, the park incident had been his first involving a knife. He also pointed to the well-documented overcrowding issue within the country’s prisons, suggesting a suspended sentence was the favoured option.

While Judge Howard Crowson acknowledged the overcrowding issue, he said he could “not consider anything other than an immediate sentence”.

Macfarlane could be heard shouting from the dock: “It wasn’t me.” He also pleaded with the judge for another trial. Judge Crowson jailed him for 18 months.

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