Thug wielded machete during Leeds street fight

Mason Clark pulled out the large knife during a confrontation on Greenmount Street in Beeston in which the other man appeared to pull out a knife. It happened at around 5pm on September 30, 2021 with the case being heard at Leeds Crown Court this week.

A resident on the street was alerted to shouting outside and saw Clark “waving the machete about”. The fight only broke up after a third man became involved and they ran off down the street.

Clark, who is 23-year-old, admitted a charge of possessing a bladed article in public. A probation report said that Clark, of East Grange Road, Leeds, had since secured work as a scaffolder, while he and his partner were expecting their second child.

No mitigation from his barrister was offered when Judge Robin Mairs said he would not lock him up.

He told Clark: “It looks like you are growing up, which must be a huge relief to your partner. You better do. You have a got a job and home which is what many people in this city don’t have. If you run around the streets with a machete you will throw that away.

"This is almost a couple of years old, I will give you an opportunity. What you make of it is entirely up to you. But if you let me down I will send you to prison.”

He gave him a 13-month sentence, suspended for 24 months, and ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work.