Machete attack man caught with hunting knife in Leeds city centre straight after release from prison

A man was caught walking around Leeds city centre with a hunting knife just two months after being released from prison on licence for attacking a teenage girl with a machete.
Shamar GatewoodShamar Gatewood
Shamar Gatewood

Shamar Gatewood was arrested on Lower Briggate after being spotted by anti-knife crime police officers in the early hours of December 16.

Leeds Crown Court heard officers were on patrol as the city centre was busy with Christmas revellers.

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They recognised Gatewood as they saw him walking with two other men and shouted for them stop. The men ran off but Gatewood was caught and searched.

A large hunting knife hidden was hidden in his tracksuit bottoms.

Gatewood pleaded guilty to possession of a blade in a public place.

The 20-year-old was sent to a young offenders institution for five years, four months, in March 2015 for a machete attack on a 16-year-old schoolgirl.

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Gatewood, then aged 17, left the girl with horrific injuries including a fractured skull and cheekbone after striking her across the face with the weapon.

Around 30 other youngsters watched in horror as Gatewood climbed out of a black Mercedes before calmly walking over to her and striking her across the face with it.

The victim was left rolling on the floor “trying to hold her head together” and feared she was about to die.

A metal shard was later removed from her face.

At his sentencing hearing a judge lifted reporting restrictions to allow the YEP to name Gatewood because of the severity of his crime.

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Gatewood carried out the attack on January 5, 2015, behind shops on Lingfield Drive, Moortown. He pleaded guilty to wounding with intent.

Gatewood was recalled to prison after his arrest last month and will not be released until 2020.

Abbi Whelan, mitigating, said Gatewood had pleaded guilty to the latest offence at an early stage.

She said Gatewood had gained qualifications in English, maths and computer science while in custody and hoped to go to university.

Gatewood was given a four month sentence.

Recorder Margia Mostafa said: “You must realise that there has been an increase in knife crime and there are public policy reasons why knives should not be carried in public.

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