THIS is the moment that a 24-year-old man threatened an ice cream lady with a three foot long samurai sword while she was serving a group of children.

Jamie Tickle, of Central Drive, Haydock, has today, Friday, August 3 been jailed for two years and eight months, after pleading guilty to affray and making threats with a bladed article at Liverpool Crown Court.

Mum-of-two Nan Watkinson, was serving several children on Station Road in Haydock at around 5.40pm on Sunday, July 1 when the incident took place.

Tickle, who was drunk and had been taking cocaine, approached the van armed with the sword and threatened her.

Mrs Watkinson, 34, later told police officers that she was terrified, both for herself and the three children she was serving and thought she was going to be killed.

She added: "The sword was so big that, as he waved it around, it caught on the sun visor above the driver’s seat."

However, she bravely turned around the dashboard camera on board the ice cream van to make Tickle realise that he was being filmed - but he continued to threaten her.

In a Victim Impact Statement that was read to the court, Mrs Watkinson said: “I had thoughts of being killed and never seeing my children again. My biggest fear was for the three children I’d been serving.

"I was terrified but had to try and prevent the attacker from going around to the hatch where the children were. I could hear the children screaming and crying.”

Mrs Watkinson rang the police and Tickle ran off. He was later found, hiding behind bins near the scene and had dumped the sword nearby. 

No-one was injured but all were left shaken by their ordeal.

Detective Constable Phil Poynton said: “We welcome the sentence of Tickle and hope this shows others that using a knife on our streets in totally unacceptable and we will not tolerate it. We will find you and you will be taken off our streets.

“The victim in this case was calm and collected throughout her ordeal and had the foresight to point her dash-cam to the offender. This action, and her bravery throughout, helped us to identify the offender and make sure he was brought to justice.

“The possession and use of knives has no place on Merseyside and we stand alongside our communities and partners in our commitment to doing all in our power to eradicate knife crime.”

Nan Watkinson, 34, said: "I was on the ice cream van when a guy came on through the driver's seat and threatened me with a machete.

"He wanted me to get off the van, so I think that's what he wanted, and swung at me but it missed because it was around two foot long and instead it cut into the van.

"My main concern was for the children I was serving and I took control of the situation.

"I challenged him and turned the dashcam on him, which he didn't like and he calmly walked off.

"The children had run off into their homes and told their parents.

"It was only afterwards that I really was shocked, but the police arrived very quickly.

"I'm just outraged this kind of thing happened here in St Helens, but main thing for me was that the children were OK.

"I've had trouble before but never like this."

"My son is only 11 but he was very, very upset as he is very protective of his mum, but we are all grateful to the police and armed police who arrived so quickly."

Kate Gaskell, a Crown Advocate with MerseyCheshire Crown Prosecution Service, said: “This was a truly awful incident that took place on a busy suburban street in broad daylight, in full view of a number of children.

“Jamie Tickle’s actions left Mrs Watkinson and the children who witnessed the incident terrified and yet the reason why he did this is still unclear.

“The victim is a self-employed businesswoman, who works hard to make a living in a neighbourhood that she loves, where she lives and is known well.

“This incident happened on her birthday and, in her statement to the court, she said it was the love and support from her family and neighbours that have helped her through this ordeal.

“Mrs Watkinson made herself take the ice cream van out the day after this ordeal to prove that she wouldn’t be intimidated by what had happened. The response from her neighbourhood was to turn out in force with flowers and gestures of support. A heart-warming element to a truly shocking incident.

“The Crown Prosecution Service would like to thank her for the courage and determination she has shown in helping us bring this case to a successful conclusion.”

If you know anyone who is carrying a knife, please contact @MerPolCC, call 101 or information can be provided anonymously to @CrimestoppersUK #NoMoreKnives