A woman who was seen brandishing a knife in the street as young children made their way to school has been jailed for more than a year. Emma Hamilton, of Histon Road, Cambridge, came to the attention of police after a worried resident called 999 at just after 8.30am on 18 September.
The resident described how a woman was arguing with a man while holding a large knife and banging on the window of a flat in Akeman Street.
While still on the phone to the police the resident watched the woman leave and head into Histon Road.
The woman was identified by an officer and police searched the area before arresting her at her home less than an hour later.
In police interview Hamilton, 43, provided a prepared statement claiming the man she had argued with had thrown the knife at her and scared for her own safety, she had picked it up.
She said the argument was about the man owing a family member £30 and that she was punched by the man, but dropped the knife as she left the area.
However, when she was shown footage of her threatening the man, saying he would be “f***ing dead”, she claimed it was not meant in the way it sounded.
Hamilton answered “no comment” to all further questions, but was later charged with affray, possessing a knife in a public place, and breaching a suspended sentence order previously imposed by the court.
She admitted the offences at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court in September and was sentenced at Peterborough Crown Court on Monday (13 November), where she was handed one year and one month behind bars.
DC Charlotte Anderson-Chapman, who investigated, said: “Hamilton brandished a large knife in very close proximity to a primary school around school arrival time.
“In the dashcam footage, schoolchildren can be seen on the path and riding bikes near Hamilton while she is holding the knife.
“Her behaviour was unacceptable, and I hope the prison sentence imposed gives her time to reflect on her actions, which no doubt left many in a busy local area feeling frightened and intimidated.”
Hamilton’s sentence comes as the force highlights its commitment to tackling knife crime this week by taking part in a knife amnesty.
The amnesty allows people to hand in knives and other items without being prosecuted.
This week across the county there will also be extra patrols in “hotspot” areas targeting those believed to be carrying knives, work in schools and with retailers selling knives.
In the past year possession of knife offences decreased in Cambridgeshire by five per cent.
For more on knife crime, including the penalties, dangers and advice, see the force’s dedicated web page.
