A knifeman was chased onto a garage roof by a gang of three, a court heard.

Fionn O’Brien, 20, from Great Missenden, was out of prison on licence for wounding and knife possession when he was spotted brandishing the knife at the three unknown thugs.

The mystery trio fled and O’Brien, who fell from the roof and in the process injured his knee, had the kitchen blade wrestled from him by a resident who’d watched the incident unfold on Cavell Road, Oxford.

The court heard how O'Brien was involved in High Wycombe "gang culture".

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Sentencing him to 12 months imprisonment, but ordering that jail time should run alongside O’Brien’s current five-and-a-half year sentence, Judge Michael Gledhill QC said he wanted the message to go out that those who carried knives should expect prison sentences.

“I rather take the view you brought all this on yourself. You shouldn’t have been in Oxford with a knife. Even if you were attacked in the way that you were and those men ran away, there is absolutely no justification for you keeping hold of it,” the judge said.

Prosecuting, Cathy Olliver said a member of the public had seen O’Brien being chased across Donnington playing fields on July 15 by three men.

The pursuers were shouting comments to do with drugs, the advocate said.

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The defendant – who had a knife in his hand - clambered on top of a garage roof, followed by one of the men.

The trio got into a silver car and sped off. O’Brien, who was left behind, was said to have waved the blade at local residents who were following him. One managed to disarm the defendant.

 

The knife brandished by Fionn OBrien Picture: CPS

The knife brandished by Fionn O'Brien Picture: CPS

He was interviewed by police and provided a prepared statement, claiming the strangers - who were armed - had tried to rob him. He said he'd grabbed a knife from one member of the group and kept hold of it.

The court heard he had four convictions for seven offences. They included a 66-month sentence imposed at Aylesbury Crown Court for wounding with intent and possession of a knife. He was out of prison on licence when he was found with the blade in Oxford last month.

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In a letter to the judge summarised by his barrister, O’Brien said he wanted to move away from the High Wycombe area, where he had grown up and was involved in the town's gang culture, when he was released from custody. He had completed a number of courses while in jail.

He had the knife for his own protection, the court was told. He had gone to Oxford to pick up a key and did not have any drugs on him.

O’Brien pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article.