Peterborough man who threatened takeaway shop staff with machete given suspended sentence

Andrew Armstrong, 37, went into the chicken shop on Lincoln Road, Peterborough, on 25 September and shouted at staff while wielding a machete in the air.

He left the shop but said he would be back.

Police were alerted by the shop staff and later received a phone call from Armstrong’s mother who claimed her son had called her and said he was at home but he was going to cause trouble and she believed he had threatened people in the chicken shop.

Armed officers quickly swooped on Armstrong’s home and arrested him.

During a police interview, Armstrong admitted to threatening the staff with a machete and claimed he had been drinking heavily that day. He said he remembered having an argument with the staff in the chicken shop but couldn’t remember what it was about.

He said he then went home to get his machete and returned to the chicken shop to express his discontent.

Armstrong, of Scotney Street, Peterborough, pleaded guilty to possession of a knife and using threatening behaviour and was handed a 10-month suspended sentence, suspended for two years at Peterborough Crown Court on Friday (13 November). He was also ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

PC Matt Reed, who investigated, said: "This was a frightening and threatening attack on innocent shop workers.

"Thankfully no one was hurt and officers acted quickly to detain Armstrong.”