Tattooed Wrexham man held police at bay during "siege" at flat

Carl Edwards, 41, threatened to kill police officers who entered his top floor flat at Aurelius Houses in Gwersyllt in the incident on September 2 last year.

Edwards, who has tattoos on his face, said at one stage that he was counting police officers to see how many he would kill and threatened to "slit their throats."

He stood on a balcony with two knives and, as the situation developed, a total of 14 police officers - including four armed officers - were at the scene.

Edwards, who had admitted to a charge of affray at an earlier hearing, had taken alcohol for the first time for a long time during what had been a very emotional day and he was said to have been disgusted with himself when he sobered up.

Judge Niclas Parry told Edwards how he had "resorted to violence" after becoming angered and if someone crossed him, he used violence to get retribution.

Judge Parry said it had been "a prolonged incident involving threats with weapons" but how the officers at the scene had done everything they could to calm him down and to help him.

"But your reaction was to terrify them," Judge Parry told him.

There had been a significant police presence and it was clear from his behaviour that he intended to cause fear of serious violence. He had pleaded guilty, was "truly remorseful" and mercifully no injury was caused to any officer.

The judge said that for such a sentence he always considered whether it could be suspended but added: "This matter is so serious that only an immediate sentence can be justified."

Prosecuting barrister Frances Willmott told how at about 8.45pm on September 2 last year two officers attended the premises following reports of an argument inside a flat.

They tried to gain access, Edwards' response was to tell them to "f**k off" and when they got to his top floor flat he was aggressive, said there was no one else there and that they should leave. He slammed the door shut and police were concerned to check that there was no one inside who needed assistance.

Edwards made repeated threats to officers through the door, that he would get a knife and would "slit their throats." They would "see what would happen" if they tried to get in, he said.

The officers could see through the door that he had a knife which he was moving in a slashing motion. Edwards went out on to a balcony and was telling his mother on the phone that if the police tried to get in then he would "take them out." He said he was counting officers to see how many he would kill.

The defendant had two knives and at one stage and was holding them over the balcony which caused concern that he might attempt to throw them at officers on the ground.

Further officers attended, he half opened the flat door and had a knife in his hand. He said that he would take all three officers on and told them that he "knew how to fight."

Officers were instructed to back off and a firearms unit was called out. But Edwards was heard to be shouting from the balcony that they would have to put three in his chest.

Firearms officers went to the flat door, Edwards was not armed but refused to come out but was pulled to the door and handcuffed. He continued to resist and to be aggressive and headbutted a police vehicle.

CS spray was used to prevent him from injuring himself and the whole incident had lasted about 45 minutes. Two knives which had been taped together were recovered from the flat.

Some of the officers involved said that it was the worst incident of its kind that they had witnessed and "feared lethal violence" if they entered the flat. They were also concerned for the safety of others.

Defending, Anna Pope said that Edwards accepted he "was a big man" and that what he did that night would have been extremely frightening for the officers.

The day in question had been exceptionally difficult for him. His partner of three and a half years had a five-year-old daughter who passed away last year and that day would have been her birthday. He had spent it with her family and drink had been taken.

It was the first time he had drunk for three years during which time he had shown he could keep out of trouble.

By the time police arrived at the flat he was alone, had been taking medication for mental health issues, but accepted that he was "entirely out of order."

She stressed that when he made the threats he was holding the knife behind the door which minimised the immediate risk to officers.

He had at one stage been on the phone with his mother who had been trying to calm him down.

Miss Pope said: "When he came out of the flat he did not have a knife and he had his hands in the air."

The next morning he apologised to the police, he appreciated he had done wrong, and he went to 20 neighbours' flats to apologise.

"He is disgusted by his behaviour that night." she added.