Staff locked themselves in an office after a man with a knife lanyard entered a mental health hub in Aberdare.
Leon Cole, age 38, went to the hub around 8:30 am on January 3. The hub is in Aberaman, near Aberdare, and he used the service often. It helps with mental health and housing.
A staff member saw the knife on a lanyard Cole wore and asked about it. Cole said he’d sell it for money.
The staff member locked the office door and then called the police. Police came and took the metallic throwing knife. Cole admitted the offense, saying a friend gave him the knife and offering to sell it.
Cole pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a blade. The court heard about his past, which included 26 previous convictions for fraud, theft, drug, and weapon charges. He also violated a suspended sentence for another weapon charge.
The court heard he was in recovery, doing the 12 Steps program, and worked as a tailor in jail. The judge sentenced Cole to 21 months in prison.