Three jailed over 'ugly incident' where they threatened machete-wielding man in street with metal poles and bricks

Kyle Hammond, 26, Robert Little, 25, and Liam Liddle, 24, who were all armed with metal poles, all acted in a "threatening way" outside a house in Jervis Street, Hebburn, on a summer afternoon last July.Newcastle Crown Court heard the occupant, who armed himself with a machete during the five-minute stand-off, was initially charged alongside the men, but prosecutors later accepted he had been "defending his property" and his case was dropped.Prosecutor Paul Currer showed the court CCTV of the three armed men approaching the house, footage of the incident and a recording of them leaving around five minutes later.Mr Currer told the court: "All three defendants approached Jervis Street in Hebburn at about 4pm. They were all seen to be armed with metal poles of some description."Residents were disturbed by shouting and swearing. All three defendants were seen to be behaving in a threatening way."They threw bricks and rocks at the occupant, who was in possession of a machete at the time."Hammond, of Grasmere Road, Hebburn, admitted affray and unrelated charges of dangerous driving and handling stolen goods in relation to an iPad found in his car which had been stolen from South Tyneside College.He has been jailed for two years and banned from driving for three years.Little, of Clyde Avenue, Hebburn, and Liddle, of no fixed address, both admitted affray, and were jailed for 15 months and 11 months respectively.

The court heard that all three men have long criminal records.Judge Sarah Mallett said she was not concerned with what sparked the confrontation and added: "This was a public street in the afternoon where there were women watching and potentially children in the area."Whatever the situation be between the defendants and the occupant is not really my prime concern; it is to reflect this incident, in so far as it effected totally innocent bystanders and people who saw it."Defence barristers said all three men have used their time on remand in custody constructively and have completed courses and programmes to help with their rehabilitation.Shaun Routledge, defending Hammond, said the confrontation was "ridiculous behaviour".Vic Laffey, defending, Little, said the stand-off was "foolish and inappropriate".Tony Cornberg, defending Liddle, said: "This was an ugly incident that had no reason to happen at all."