Man who threatened pub customers with axe jailed

A man who marched into a Wetherspoon pub armed with an axe and threatened two men in the beer garden has been jailed.

Jason Semple, 54, of Tavistock Road, Okehampton, Devon, admitted two charges of threatening a person with a bladed article at the White Hart Hotel in Okehampton.

The incident happened at about 18:00 BST on 13 April, with Semple later arrested a mile-and-a-half (2.4km) away but the axe was not found.

At Exeter Crown Court, Semple admitted "shame and embarrassment" to what he did before being sentenced to 10 months in prison.

Sentencing, Judge David Evans said Semple's intention was to frighten rather than use the axe, but added there was a foreseeable risk that the weapon could have been used.

The court also heard Semple, who had 140 previous convictions, had been drinking all day.

He claimed he could not remember what happened in the short-lived incident, which was also caught on CCTV.

Insp Daniel Jones, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said: "Semple acted brazenly as he walked straight up to the victims, who were known to him, and threatened them with the axe.

"This incident took place in a local pub, in daylight, as members of the community were enjoying their Sunday evening.

"Understandably, this caused concern to everyone who was present and also to the wider town.

"I welcome the sentence given today and I would like to thank those who intervened, kept police informed and helped us bring this to a swift resolution."

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