A ‘Vikingologist’ who pulled two huge kitchen knives on a banned Liverpool FC fan and his mother-in-law during a quarrel over a dead horse has been sentenced for 10 months.
Leslie Radley-Braithwaite, 34, of Redgate, Formby, prepared the bladed weapons after being accosted by Lisa Masterson, 54, and Sam Lomax, 23, on August 17, 2020, at his place of employment at Kentwood Stables in Freshfield.
At Liverpool Crown Court, Radley-Braithwaite was sentenced to 10 months in prison after pleading guilty to two charges of possessing a bladed item in a public place and to affray.
The history enthusiast’s hopes of serving as an extra on the popular Vikings episode of Amazon Prime have now been shattered, according to his attorney.
Lomax, who was previously barred from attending Liverpool FC games after throwing homophobic epithets at players from the stands, was also given a 10-month jail term with an 18-month suspension, 150 hours of community service, and a 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement.
After a tiny amount of the class B substance was discovered on him during his arrest, he entered a guilty plea to both possession of cannabis and possession of a bladed item in a public place.
While everything was going on, Masterson was spared prison time after confessing to employing threatening behaviour.
Instead, he was given a 12-month community order with 150 hours of unpaid labour and a 20-day maximum requirement for rehabilitation activities.
At the stables, Masterson kept seven horses, but the court had been informed that one of them had passed away, raising “some disquiet as to the reason of death.”
A mysterious “event” occurred at the stables on August 16, 2020, as a result of Masterson’s “difficulties paying” and instructions to locate another location to shelter her horses.
The next day, Masterson, of Croxteth, arrived with family members in tow with the intention of retrieving some equipment she owned. They blocked the entrance to the property with three cars.
The court heard that the woman eventually became “verbally hostile and confrontational” against staff members before pushing one.
Then Woolton resident Lomax, who is dating her daughter, took a craft knife out of his vehicle.
As the argument “escalated,” Stables armed himself with two big knives.
Mobile phone video of a portion of the argument was presented at the hearing, and Masterson was overheard saying, “F*** off, would you grab our stuff?”
Police were summoned, but by the time they arrived, “everything had cooled down.”
The prosecutor, Bernice Campbell, detailed how the disruption left workers “frightened and horrified.”
After hurling a homophobic insult towards Everton supporters at the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park in December 2021, in earshot of stewards who reported him to the police, LFC supporter Lomax was earlier given a three-year football suspension in March.
In his defence, Daniel Bramhall said that he began a new position as an engineer on Monday of this week.
He also provides care for his father, who has a “severe progressive condition.”
He didn’t go to the stables intending to produce the knife, Mr. Bramhall said.
“It was a brief error of judgement that occurred in a rapidly evolving and fluid scenario.” He is a young man who has never before gotten into trouble.
Radley-attorney, Braithwaite’s Gareth Roberts, said that the 34-year-old had mental health issues as well as severe back ailments. Because of these, “he has been in continual anguish.”
He recognises that what he did was improper, the defence attorney told the court. There were young people there at the time, and he is very apologetic.
His activities were motivated by goodwill. They acted rashly, but happily no one was hurt.
“Others began this, and if Ms. Masterson and Mr. Lomax hadn’t done what they did, he wouldn’t be here today. To his credit, he strikes me as a smart, well-spoken guy.
According to Mr. Roberts, Radley-Braithwaite was a “vikingologist with a great interest in Nordic history” who had planned to work as an extra on the popular Vikings drama series on Amazon Prime.
But he said, “He has jeopardised it.”
After the passing of her spouse, Masterson “struggled financially” and “has been unable to remain on an even keel since,” according to Eric Lamb, Masterson’s attorney.
The former nursing home employee lost her job after breaking her wrist and is now receiving benefits. She has no prior convictions.
Recorder Tim Harrington remarked during sentencing, “You should be ashamed of yourself. This was a scandalous occurrence.
“The incident that day included a disagreement about the stabling of horses. It was initiated by you, Ms. Masterson.
“You were intimidating and abusive.” What you were doing would have endangered anybody there.
At this moment, Masterson informed the court that “we simply went to get our things up.” He then added, “Your actions were horrible,” and reprimanded her for the interruption. The proper sentencing is a community order due to your maturity and excellent reputation. There’s a possibility.
“Once the fighting began, you went and armed yourself with a knife, placing you over the custody barrier,” Recorder Harrington remarked, turning to face Lomax.
“Anyone who carries a weapon in public should anticipate going to jail.”
However, you have a history of excellent conduct, and you have found lucrative job in the past. It is up to you.
The judge told Radley-Braithwaite, “You are in a different situation. Although you didn’t initiate this, I acknowledge that you exacerbated it.
You were carrying not one, but two really huge knives. Although you don’t have a very poor background, you have convictions for using violence and weapons. I see no way that I could put the punishment on hold.
All three offenders received five-year restraining orders and instructions to pay victim surcharges. Additionally, it was mandated that the narcotics and blades be forfeited and destroyed.