Chesterfield man walked into police station armed with meat cleaver

An armed man who had been going around Chesterfield town centre with a meat cleaver before walking into a police station has been jailed.
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Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on October 9 how Jason Lee Hardwick, 41, of Annesley Close, at Hasland, Chesterfield, claimed he had the weapon to protect himself but police were forced to clear the reception at Beetwell police station before they arrested him.

Prosecuting solicitor Lynn Bickley said: “On October 8, at 3.45pm, the defendant attended Chesterfield police station on Beetwell Street and went into the public area of the station.

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“Police were alerted by a member of the public that a male stated he was in possession of a machete and he had shown them a meat cleaver in his pocket and he was going to butcher everyone in there.”

Pictured is Jason Lee Hardwick, 41, of Annesley Close, Hasland, Chesterfield, who has been jailed after he walked into Chesterfield police station armed with a meat cleaver.Pictured is Jason Lee Hardwick, 41, of Annesley Close, Hasland, Chesterfield, who has been jailed after he walked into Chesterfield police station armed with a meat cleaver.
Pictured is Jason Lee Hardwick, 41, of Annesley Close, Hasland, Chesterfield, who has been jailed after he walked into Chesterfield police station armed with a meat cleaver.
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The police enquiry office alerted the police parade room and officers made their way to the office and removed people from the area and the defendant was found and arrested, according to Mrs Bickley.

Hardwick told police he had bought the meat cleaver four days earlier to protect himself from someone who had threatened him with a knife.

He added that he had walked around the town centre with the meat cleaver in his jacket for about an hour before going to Chesterfield police station.

Chesterfield police station.Chesterfield police station.
Chesterfield police station.
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Hardwick admitted what he did was wrong but he said that if the man he feared had attacked him with a knife he would have used the meat cleaver.

The defendant, who is subject to a suspended prison sentence for fraud and dishonesty matters, pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.

Defence solicitor Julia Jackson said Hardwick had gone to the police station to report that he had been subjected to an attempted knife attack and he felt he needed the meat cleaver for self-defence.

She added police responded after Hardwick had started talking to a man at the police station who looked bruised and beaten-up and he showed him a corner of meat cleaver he was carrying for protection.

Magistrates sentenced Hardwick to 31 weeks in custody.

He was also ordered to pay a £115 victim surcharge.