Mansfield man who chased unwelcome visitor armed with kitchen knife is jailed

A bare chested Gavin Pearson chased the man across Welbeck Street and onto Rosemary Street, where his victim taunted him before a fight broke out, said Annabel Lenton, prosecuting.

CCTV from a nearby garage recorded Pearson’s victim pushing him up against a car and kicking him when he was on the ground, at around 7pm on May 4.

At some point Pearson, aged 46, obtained a cosh which may have been brought to the scene by his opponent, Ms Lenton said.

Nottingham Crown Court heard Pearson has 33 previous convictions for 88 offences, including possession of an offensive weapon and affray in 2021, wounding in 2010, and affray in 1994 and 1996. His other offences involve dishonesty, drugs and driving matters.

Ms Lenton said the case was aggravated by his record, and the mandatory six-month sentence is triggered by his earlier weapons offences.

Lesley Pidcock, mitigating, said Pearson’s victim turned up to make trouble and was fined at the magistrates’ court.

“Although it doesn't excuse his behavior, he pleaded guilty on the basis he wasn’t looking for trouble,” she said. “It came literally to his front door.

"He says, "It doesn't excuse what I did and I know I shouldn't have behaved in the way I did."”

She said Pearson had “a very lengthy problem with class A drugs", but had recently put his life together, set up a business making furniture out of recycled wood, and was “living a relatively stable existence.”

“All of that - because of how he reacted, I concede - is taken from him,” she added. “A real shame he puts himself in this position.”

Ms Pidcock said he has been remanded at HMP Nottingham since May 6, where “the regime is fairly stark with 23-hour lockups, and no courses.”

Pearson, of Welbeck Street, admitted affray and possessing offensive weapons when he appeared at Nottingham Magistrates Court.

Sentencing him to 12 months in prison, Recorder Luke Blackburn said the prosecution and mitigation facts had equal weight.

“Anyone who watched the video would say you deserved much more,” he said. “But the basis of your plea, which I have taken into account, makes clear what really happened.”