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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Neil Docking

Drunken yob pulls a huge machete from his trousers after being refused entry to club

Jaw dropping CCTV footage shows the moment a drunken yob pulled a huge machete out from his trousers.

Luke Browne produced the massive blade when doormen refused to let him enter Platinum Bar in Birkenhead.

The 31-year-old has long plagued pubs, bars and nightclubs in Wirral with his violent and anti-social behaviour.

READ MORE: Child rapist caught out by smashed camcorder cassette in loft

The crook's latest "ridiculous" actions saw him jailed for two years and banned from Birkenhead's nightlife zone.

Now, police have released this video revealing just how dangerous a weapon he was carrying around late at night.

Browne - who had 60 previous convictions for 106 offences - tried to get into Platinum Bar at around 2.40am, on Monday, October 25 last year.

Police were called after they received reports of a man "who had been making threats towards door staff and had in fact produced a machete".

The shocking video, played during a sentence hearing at Liverpool Crown Court, shows Browne talking to doormen in the entrance area of the Conway Street bar.

As two bouncers block his path, Browne pulls the machete out from a plastic bag and holds it up in his right hand, causing one of the doormen to recoil in fear.

Another doorman takes hold of Browne's left arm and then his right hand, as two further members of the security team can be seen trying to diffuse the situation.

Together, the calm actions of the four doormen seem to prevent Browne from threatening anyone further or causing any harm, before he puts the machete back in the bag and eventually agreed to hand it over when ushered outside.

Cheryl Mottram, prosecuting, said police identified Browne from the clip and he was later arrested, but answered "no comment" to all questions when interviewed.

Browne, of Paterson Street, Birkenhead, later admitted possessing a bladed article in public and breaching a suspended sentence.

Ms Mottram said his criminal record was "littered with various matters", including criminal damage, assaults, burglary, disorderly behaviour and breaches of ASBOs, but no prior weapons offences.

In May 2020, he was spared jail for assault causing actual bodily harm, after an incident at Mr Whites, a bar in Argyle Street, Birkenhead on February 6 that year.

Another shocking piece of CCTV footage captured him attacking Elsa Frost - aka internet personality 'Banter Dancing Queen' - with whom he was said to have a "history" of animosity.

Prosecutors said the cocaine-fuelled yob grabbed Ms Frost by the hair and dragged her to the ground, after she first approached him during a heated argument.

He lifted the empty keg and threw it at the defenceless woman's head, leaving her concussed, with blurred vision and bruising to her head, arms, legs and back.

Browne pleaded guilty to that attack on the basis Ms Frost was aggressive first, he initially tried to move away, and she provoked him.

On that occasion he walked free from court after a judge said jailing him could impact on his cleaning business.

Browne was handed eight months in jail, suspended for 18 months, a 20-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR), 220 hours of unpaid work and a Resolve group work programme.

Ms Mottram said he had completed just 140 of the 220 hours of unpaid work, none of the RAR, and while he had undergone the Resolve programme, he had twice skipped probation appointments.

The prosecutor said since then Browne had been convicted of affray, for which he received a community order, and most recently a drink driving charge.

Ms Mottram applied for a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) to prevent Browne from entering parts of Birkenhead town centre and remaining in any commercial or business premises when asked to leave by staff in Wirral.

She told the court it was required because statements from landlords showed Browne "over a period of time has visited a number of licensed premises and generally made a nuisance of himself to those venues, causing damage, creating threatening behaviour towards not only the staff, but also the customers".

Ms Mottram added: "He often attends in groups and with youths who are masked or wearing balaclavas. Comments are made, missiles are thrown and the environment that his presence creates is generally very intimidating."

The prosecutor said this behaviour was said to have impacted on the venue's finances.

Paul Wood, defending, suggested the machete offence was not committed in circumstances where there was "a risk of serious disorder".

Judge David Potter replied: "He's refused entry when clearly drunk and in response to that he produces a machete and holds it in his hand."

The defence lawyer accepted this but said Browne quickly gave up trying to gain entry and wrapped the blade back up.

Mr Wood said his client had also held it by his side, rather than threaten anyone with it.

Browne, on video link from HMP Altcourse, interrupted and said: "I didn't get it out of my pants for threatening anyone, it was because they grabbed hold of me and were hurting me, that's why I pulled it out of my pants."

Judge Potter said he had seen the "machete".

The judge added: "He was carrying it around in Birkenhead at night for no lawful purpose and produced it when challenged by door staff at licensed premises."

Mr Wood conceded that was "ridiculous behaviour".

However, he said Browne voluntarily handed the machete over to door staff, once outside the club.

Judge Potter observed the majority of Browne's convictions were committed "whilst you were drunk" and that it was the case yet again at Platinum Bar.

He said by producing the machete there was a risk of serious disorder and told him: "You have failed to respond to previous warnings about your behaviour."

The judge jailed him for two years in total, including six months of his eight-month suspended sentence.

Judge Potter hit Browne with a five-year CBO, stating: "This behaviour has no place in our communities."

He added: "The licensees of bars and clubs on the Wirral, who have had enough on their plate with coronavirus restrictions and the devastating impact that has had on their premises, can well do without the likes of you and your mates threatening staff and damaging property."

Speaking after the case, Inspector Peter Rexwinkel said: "Browne's reckless actions could have left staff at Platinum with serious injuries.

"No one should be threatened or targeted with such dangerous weapons when they are just doing their job.

"Carrying knives and dangerous weapons can and does have devastating consequences to victims and our community. I hope this result shows that the force is committed to combating knife crime and bringing the people responsible to justice.

"I am pleased that the court has recognised the severity of the offence by imposing a custodial sentence and also preventing Browne from entering parts of Birkenhead town centre and endangering our community."

To report any knife crime or the use of dangerous weapons, DM Merseyside Police on Twitter via @MerPolCC or message the force on Facebook at 'Merseyside Police Contact Centre'.

Alternatively you can call 101, or contact the independent charity @CrimestoppersUK, anonymously, on 0800 555 111, or via their website: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously.

In an emergency always call 999.

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