These criminals found themselves behind bars after using weapons to commit their crimes.
Knives, machetes, broken glass and even household items were used by offenders to attack others.
Among those who appeared in court was a man who held a "massive knife" to a shop worker's stomach during a robbery.
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Another case involved a woman who broke a bottle and plunged it into a man's neck.
Here we look at just some of the thugs who were sent to prison after being caught with a weapon.
Jordan Mackell
Two brothers subjected a man to a terrifying attack in his own home.
Jordan Mackell had already been involved in one frightening episode at the victim's home, during which he was threatened with a knife as demands for cash were made.
Less than three weeks later, he returned, with brother Corey Mackell and subjected the victim, who knew them, to a violent attack while trying to conceal their identities with a mask and motorbike helmet.
Newcastle Crown Court heard the first offence happened on April 4 last year at the man's home on Saltwell Road, Gateshead.
Jordan Mackell and girlfriend Jordin Murray turned up around 6pm. Mackell pushed past him to get inside when he answered the door and demanded money while holding a ten-inch knife.
He then gave Murray a knife, which she pointed, preventing him from going further back into his home. After searching for money, they made off with some loose change.
Mackell and Murray pleaded guilty to affray for that offence.
On April 23, Mackell returned with his brother and an unknown man around 2.30am.
They smashed a window to get in and the victim saw one of them coming towards him shouting 'where's your money, give me your money'.
Jordan Mackell was holding a 10-12 inch knife, which he held to the victim's neck and also punched him and hit him on the knee with the weapon.
The man fell to the ground and saw another of the trio ransacking his living room and smashing his television.
The "bleeding and dazed" victim tried to get out but the intruders punched him in the face multiple times in an effort to stop him.
Corey Mackell used his brother's knife to hit him on the shoulder, causing a cut.
The victim also had the knife held to his throat and a hand put over his mouth in an effort to stop him shouting. He eventually managed to flee and sought help from a neighbour.
Jordan Mackell, 23, pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding and affray, Corey Mackell admitted unlawful wounding and Murray admitted affray.
Jordan Mackell was jailed for 42 months, Corey Mackell got 21 months and Murray will be sentenced at a later date. Read the full story here.
Moaaz Siraj
A gang member who played a leading role as an armed mob threatened a man with weapons in a terrifying ordeal was jailed.
Moaaz Siraj and four others turned up outside a flat in Byker, Newcastle, wearing masks, hoods and carrying weapons including a knife and a metal bat.
They threatened a man inside a flat and repeatedly told him to come out, with one shouting "come outside, I'm going to kill you."
We reported last October how four men had been jailed for their role in the offence at Shipley Rise, on February 1 last year.
Now Siraj has joined them behind bars after admitting affray, possessing an offensive weapon and unrelated offences, including setting fire to a taxi.
Newcastle Crown Court heard the victim was at home making dinner with his friend when the gang turned up.
Judge Robert Spragg said: "When he looked out, he could see outside his flat a gang of you, most of you armed and wearing hoods and masks, hitting and breaking the window, trying to force entry."
The judge said the offence was motivated by another man wanting to fight the victim but said Siraj was playing a leading role.
He said: "You were second through the door, holding a knife above your head.
"It was targeting of an individual by a group and many of you had weapons, which were used to threaten violence. You were part of a gang and had a leading role."
Siraj, 21, of Coast Road, Heaton, Newcastle, was also sentenced for a series of other offences.
He was convicted of arson after setting fire to a taxi and burning it out on May 19 2019 after a dispute with the owner.
He pleaded guilty to having a bladed article in June 2019 after being found with a 12 inch hunting knife.
Siraj also admitted dangerous driving on April 23 after doing more than 110mph on the A1 during a police chase in which officers had to use a stinger device and force him into a ditch.
Siraj was jailed for a total of four years and two months.
Kelly Dixon
A woman smashed a bottle and thrust it into a man's neck in front of shocked city centre shoppers because he threw a sausage roll at her.
Kelly Dixon was drinking wine at Old Eldon Square, in Newcastle, early on a Sunday afternoon last October when she clashed with victim Darren Foster.
A court heard Mr Foster accused Dixon of stealing from him and he threw a sausage roll at her, which missed and hit a woman sitting next to her.
Dixon then shouted "f****** come on then", smashed a bottle and stabbed Mr Foster in the neck with its jagged edge after striking out four times.
He was left with a large laceration under his jawline which was bleeding heavily, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
Dixon, 42, of Spencer Street, Heaton, Newcastle, who admitted unlawful wounding, was jailed for three years. Here's the full story.
Tony Ash
A terrified mum was "held hostage" in her own home by a former partner who knocked her unconscious with a kettle and attacked her with a metal broom.
To the victim's horror, ex-boyfriend Tony Ash suddenly appeared in her flat while she was getting ready for bed and launched a shocking and sustained attack which left her fearing she was about to die.
Using punches, kicks and weapons, he left her drifting in and out of consciousness and with multiple injuries during a savage onslaught.
A court heard the violence continued throughout the night until the following morning when she eventually managed to break free from her home in Byker, Newcastle.
The victim had extensive bruising, multiple lacerations to her head from the kettle, a bloodshot eye, bruising and scratches to her back and arms, a sore back a cut finger and cuts and bruises to her face and ears. Some time later, she was still suffering headaches.
Ash, 30, of Rothbury Terrace, Heaton, Newcastle, pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm and a separate charge of failing to provide a sample and was jailed for 26 weeks and given a ten-year restraining order. Read the full story here.
Conor Bates
A terrified shop worker had a "massive knife" held to her stomach by a robber who demanded the takings.
The victim, who is a grandmother, was working behind the till at a Co-op in Sunderland when she was targeted by Conor Bates.
Despite him telling her he didn't want to hurt her, the robbery left her deeply traumatised and she was left frightened to leave her house.
Newcastle Crown Court heard it happened around 9.45pm on November 8 last year at the shop on North Moor Lane, Sunderland.
The victim, who had worked there for 16 years, was approached by Bates, who told her: "Open the till."
Prosecutor Kevin Wardlaw said: "At first she thought he was playing a joke but then she realised he had a large knife with a 12 inch blade.
"He put the knife against her stomach and said again 'Open the till. I don't want to f****** hurt you'."
The victim opened the till and also pressed a panic button to alert her manager, who got between the robber and the woman.
While taking £464, Bates said: "I'm sorry about this, I don't want to hurt anyone, I'm homeless".
Bates, 23, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to robbery and possessing an offensive weapon and was jailed for five years and four months. Here's the full story.
David Evans and Jamie Percival
Two masked men left a pensioner terrified after smashing into his home armed with axes and a knife to steal his gambling winnings.
David Evans and Jamie Pervical had got wind of the fact the 69-year-old victim had scooped £4,200 on a bet and hatched a plan to try to take it from him with force.
They initially forced entry to the wrong flat in the middle of the night, leaving a couple petrified.
CCTV then captured them making a determined effort to kick and smash their way into their target's home for more than a minute before eventually getting in.
The victim was confronted by the armed, masked men demanding he hand over his winnings and he was struck on the head with an axe during the raid.
Evans and Percival, from Longbenton, North Tyneside, who failed in their mission, were each jailed for six years for aggravated burglary at Newcastle Crown Court.
Evans, 40, of Lutterworth Road, Longbenton, had 157 previous convictions, including a shop robbery in 2008, for which he was jailed for four years and burglary in 2019, for which he got 876 days.
Percival, 33, of Langdale Road, Longbenton, had 25 previous convictions, including for conspiracy to rob and possessing an imitation firearm, for which he was jailed for six years and five months in 2011. Read the full story here.
Chris Bezuidenhout
A student teacher's career hopes were ruined when a thug left him with severed tendons in his hand with a machete.
A trip to the beach with a friend ended in pain and misery for Adam Bell thanks to the actions of Chris Bezuidenhout.
A court heard Mr Bell and his friend were walking in Roker, Sunderland, when they became aware of Bezuidenhout shouting "Oi, small d***" while leaning out of a window.
He was then heard to refer to them as "f****** fa*****", although prosecutors accepted this was not intended as homophobic.
Mr Bell reacted to the abuse by sticking two fingers up at Bezuidenhout, prompting him to chase after him, shouting and asking what he said to him.
When he caught up with him, he noticed he was armed with a long machete with a 20cm curved blade.
Bezuidenhout grabbed Mr Bell's clothing and held the machete close to his throat and then his stomach and threatened to stab him.
Mr Bell said he thought it was a fake weapon and grabbed the blade.
Bezuidenhout then withdrew it, slicing Mr Bell's hand open, severing tendons in all his fingers and nicking a bone.
Two cyclists stopped to intervene and help and Bezuidenhout fled.
Mr Bell was left devastated by his painful injuries and had to quit his teacher training course.
He had to have surgery and was left unable to take part activities he loved like swimming and going to the gym.
Bezuidenhout pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding and possessing a bladed article and as well as the three year jail term, he was made subject to a restraining order. Here's the full story.
