Cocaine addict lost 'grip on reality' and waved gun at Leeds West Indian Carnival vendor
A paranoid cocaine addict who “lost his group on reality” and waved a gun at Leeds’ West Indian Carnival worker has been deemed a danger to society.
Tyrone Lewis was wearing a balaclava and had the real-looking weapon when he approached the man outside the Airbnb property in Burmantofts. The victim was staying at the house for the August event.
A full armed-response police team and police helicopter were scrambled following the bizarre incident.
Lewis was handed an extended sentence at Leeds Crown Court, having been caught with a gun previously.
The 38-year-old admitted possession of an imitation firearm with an intent to cause a fear of violence.
The court heard that the victim had driven up from Birmingham to work as a food vendor at the carnival during the August bank holiday last year.
He was staying at the property on East Park View, arriving on August 24. He noticed Lewis, wearing a tracksuit and balaclava, stood a short distance away and staring at him.
Having attended the carnival, he and his co-workers returned to the property at around 2am on August 26, only to notice Lewis stood wearing the same clothes and balaclava stood across the road again.
This time he approached and was joined by his co-accused, Lyle Callaghan, who the victim could see had a knife in the waistband of his trousers.
Lewis then pulled out the gun and made a “clear threat” to the victim, telling him: “I’m not just a man of words.”
Lewis strangely kept putting the gun in a bush, then retrieving it, prosecutor Ryan Donoghue said.
A witness called 999 and officers carrying guns and the police helicopter rushed to the scene.
Having walked away, Lewis was spotted by the helicopter before he entered a property on Glensdale Grove where he was arrested, along with Callaghan and a third suspect.
They also found the gun stashed in a sock, which transpired to be a BB pistol.
Both Lewis and Callaghan were later picked out during an ID parade.
Lewis and 28-year-old Callaghan appeared in court over a video link from HMP Leeds where they have been held on remand since their arrest.
Callaghan, of Vinery Terrace, admitted a charge of possessing a bladed article in public. He has 14 convictions for 20 offences, including a previous for possessing an offensive weapon.
Lewis, of Glensdale Grove, has 12 previous convictions for 26 offences, including a firearms offence from 2019 for which he received a six-year sentence.
No mitigation was offered for Callaghan after the judge said due to time served on remand, he would be freed immediately. He was handed a six-month sentence.
For Lewis, Kara Frith said it was his drug use that caused paranoia and him to behave “incredibly stupid”.
She added: “He recognised he caused fear and distress.
“His cocaine use was at its peak, he relied on it, he thought he needed it.
“It has ruined his life. There was a real deterioration on his grip of reality.”
Judge Ray Singh said Lewis was a dangerous offender, so jailed him for 20 months, and gave him a three-year extended licence period.