A serial offender who wielded an axe on a night out in Ryde before Christmas last year has avoided jail.

Reece Judge, of Collards Close, Freshwater, appeared at the Isle of Wight Crown Court yesterday (Monday).

Judge David Melville warned he was lucky not to be behind bars following his latest offence, given he already had 11 convictions for 22 previous offences to his name.

At a previous hearing, the 21-year-old pleaded guilty to being in possession of a bladed article, namely an axe, on Union Street, Ryde on December 18, 2022.

The court heard how Judge was seen with an axe in his hand, outside Sam's Chicken at 12.18am.

Iwona Boesche, prosecuting, said police arrived and a man, matching Judge's description, ran down St Thomas's Street.

Officers could not find him, or an axe.

Judge was later found and arrested on Sherbourne Avenue, the court heard. No axe was found.

Defending, Jim Osborne said Judge had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and knew his "binge drinking" was to blame.

He said his client had been in custody for nearly eight weeks, including over Christmas, which had given him time to reflect.

Mr Osborne said Judge, who has two children, "knew he was drinking in the last chance hotel".

"He is remorseful and feels he has let his family and children down", he said.

He said he has a job lined up with his father which he could start tomorrow should he be released.

Handing down his sentence, Judge Melville said he was already in breach of a previous suspended sentence.

He was warned had he not pleaded guilty he would have been sentenced to 18 months.

He said: "You have two children. Can you imagine what they think about seeing their father commit this kind of offence in a street?"

"They deserve better.

"You can control your drinking by stopping your drinking.

"Think about your family and don't do it again".

Judge was sentenced to one year, suspended for two years. 

He was also ordered to carry out 45 activity requirement days and 295 unpaid works days.