When police arrived at the house Alan Atkinson warned his victims “get rid of them or we’ll come back and burn you out”
When police arrived at the house Alan Atkinson warned his victims “get rid of them or we’ll come back and burn you out”
A man brandished a knife at his ex-girlfriend’s new partner and said “that’s my bird, no one else’s”. Alan Atkinson, 50, burst into the house where his ex was staying with her new boyfriend and threatened to stab them both when police knocked on the door.
The incident occurred on Ford Lane in Litherland on Saturday, July 26 last year. Homeowner Patrick Smith was in the kitchen, and his nephew Aaron Smith and his girlfriend Chloe Lloyd were in the living room at around 10.30pm when they heard a loud knock at the front door.
Aaron Smith opened the door to find Atkinson, Ms Lloyd’s ex-boyfriend, armed with a knife. He tried to slam the door on him, but Atkinson blocked him and put his arm into the house, slashing in Aaron Smith’s direction with the blade.
At Liverpool Crown Court yesterday, February 9, prosecutor Arthur Gibson said: “Aaron Smith moved back quickly toward the stairs. The defendant pushed open the door, came in, and was jabbing the knife towards him.
“He was heard to say ‘what the f***s going on with the flat?’. The flat had been where he and Chloe Lloyd had been living and it seems there had been some damage caused to the inside of that flat which may well be what led to this incident. Certainly the defendant had lost his temper.”
Atkinson told Aaron Smith: “That’s my bird, no one else’s.”
Mr Gibson said: “The noise of what was happening alerted Patrick Smith. He came out of the kitchen into the hallway, saw that the defendant was present in his house armed with a knife, and he ran out. He ran around the back and he phoned the police and informed them a man had broken into his house, armed with a knife.
Police quickly responded and attended the scene with sirens and blue lights flashing. Atkinson, still inside the house, demanded “Who the f*** called the police?” before ordering Aaron Smith and Chloe Lloyd to “sit down” in the living room.
He ordered the couple to lie to the officers, saying: “Tell them nothing has happened. Get rid of them or we’ll come back and burn you out.” He also threatened to stab the couple.
Mr Gibson said: “The door was open and the defendant was able to hear what was said, and on being asked by the police whether there was anybody inside the house, Aaron Smith told the officers that he was happy for those inside to be present, and that no one had a knife. But at the same time he was shaking his head and making it clear that there was a problem inside, and there was a person inside who had a knife.”
Police entered the house and arrested Atkinson. The knife was found under a couch in the living room.
Atkinson, of Marsh Lane, Bootle, pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article and witness intimidation.
Brendan Carville, defending, said Atkinson had gone to Ford Lane because he had been told his flat had been “smashed up” and that Ms Lloyd was responsible, and he wanted to “remonstrate with her”. He said: “He has now spent 197 says in custody which is the equivalent to a seven month sentence.”
Recorder William Beardmore, sentencing, said: “You have 20 previous convictions for 40 offences between 1995 and 2024. You have a previous conviction for aggravated burglary and multiple for relatively low levels of violence.
“I note that you accept that you were ‘a little bit jealous’ of the relationship between Aaron Smith and your former partner. You make reference to having gone to the property because of damage to the flat.
“Your pre-sentence report author says your risk of reoffending is low, however they do not believe that properly reflects your risk given your relationship difficulties, your substance misuse, your mental health issues, your unstable accommodation, your limited emotional regulation, your poor decision making. You’re assessed as very high risk of serious harm to adults you know.”
He sentenced Atkinson to 27 months in prison, and made a restraining order banning him from contacting Patrick and Aaron Smith for five years.
