Menacing axeman with history of violence charged at terrified women in confrontation

Abusive Adam Wright was seen smashing the axe down onto the ground in the middle of the street before angrily running towards the two friends with the axe in his hand

A meanacing axeman with a history of violence charged at two terrified women during a frightening confrontation in the street in the early hours of the morning.

Fired-up and abusive Adam Wright was seen smashing the axe down onto the ground in the middle of the street before angrily running towards the two friends with the axe in his hand, Hull Crown Court heard. Wright, 30, of Princes Avenue, west Hull, admitted offences of affray, possessing an axe as an offensive weapon in public and causing criminal damage to a police cell on June 2.

Stephen Robinson, prosecuting, said that a woman was telephoned by her mother to say that Wright had been making a nuisance of himself at 1am. She and a female friend went there and saw Wright sitting on a wall, across the street from the house.

He was asked to leave but he became aggressive and began walking towards them with his fist raised, reported HullLive.. The mother shouted at him to go away. "He did leave," said Mr Robinson. "He headed towards Hessle Road shouting threats and abuse."

The daughter left her mother's home and saw Wright hiding behind a tree. "He threw items that he picked up off the ground at her," said Mr Robinson. "They walked around the block to avoid the defendant and returned to the address."

Wright appeared and he was holding a long-handled axe. "It appears to be some sort of pickaxe," said Mr Robinson. Wright smacked the axe on the ground in the middle of the street. He started to run towards the daughter and her friend with the axe in his hand.

They ran to a corner shop and stayed there for 10 minutes. They returned to the house but Wright chased them off again. "They did not return until the police attended," said Mr Robinson. Officers arrived just before 2am and searched the area before widening the search towards Wright's home. He was seen in Princes Avenue at 2.45am on a bicycle.

"He encouraged officers to chase him," said Mr Robinson. "Police knocked him off his bike. He was chased on foot." Wright was arrested and he told police: "It was a stick, not an axe." The weapon was not found but, from CCTV pictures, it seemed to be an axe.

Wright was taken to Clough Road police station, Hull, and he was put into a cell. He became abusive to a constable. "He then started spitting on the floor on a number of occasions," said Mr Robinson.

Wright had convictions for 40 previous offences, first as a youth for robbery in September 2010. He had convictions for violence, including assault and three of assaulting emergency workers. He had been jailed in October 2022 for 20 months for affray.

Oliver Shipley, mitigating, said that Wright was in custody on remand and he had been recalled to prison after breaching his licence.

He pleaded guilty, made admissions and regretted his behaviour. He had suffered from problems. Wright was jailed for 16 months.