Man smashed shop with axe and chased man down street

Frankie Parr, 33, inflicted the criminal damage at The Sweet Retreat on Elephant Lane, Thatto Heath after he had a “dispute” with the husband of the business’ owner.

Parr, of Mersey Street, Parr, was convicted of affray over the disturbance after a trial at Liverpool Crown Court and had pleaded guilty to criminal damage and possession of an offensive weapon.

Liverpool Crown Court (Image: Stock)

Prosecuting, Martin Walsh told the court that Frankie Parr and the man “were in a dispute over money and during the course of that day (March 29, 2021) Frankie Parr had been trying to get in touch with (the man) about the lending of money and was unable to do so.

“He started to make threats to him by texting. He said he was going to ‘blow up the shop’ and come to the shop with weapons to smash it up.”

The man then reported the threats to the police.     

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Mr Walsh told the court that when the woman who owned the shop went to take a person home “she was told by a friend that Frankie Parr had turned up at the shop.

“She went back to the milkshake shop and could hear shouting and screaming.”

He said the woman “couldn’t work out what he (Frankie Parr) was saying but saw in his hand he was holding an axe”.

Frankie Parr was convicted of affray (Image: Merseyside Police)

Her husband was at the scene and she was “trying to get” to him and saw “the right side of the window had been smashed.

The woman saw Parr “running” at her husband “in the street with the axe in his hand” and Mr Walsh said “she described being herself as being extremely scared”.

Frankie Parr then said “he would drop the axe if (the man) came with him”.

Police attended and arrested Parr who “was heard to say ‘you are all grasses, you are all sausages’.”

The Sweet Retreat (Image: Google Streetview)

Mr Walsh said that in a victim impact statement, the woman said: “She no longer feels safe in her own home, she continued watching over her shoulder and her mental health has suffered.

“She described herself as being paranoid and nervous. Recently she had to sell the shop because she wasn’t happy working there on her own.”

The court heard Frankie Parr has a lengthy criminal record, including for violent offences.

Judge Gary Woodhall said Frankie Parr, who had 17 previous convictions, had shown a “clear pattern of violent behaviour” and had a “history of drug use”.

He noted that the defendant had “adverse childhood issues” and that he had become “institutionalised” due to the amount of time he had spent in prison.

During the hearing, Parr was sentenced alongside his nephew Gareth Parr, 19, of Gibbons Avenue, Old Eccleston, as they were both involved in an attack on a man at The Vine Tavern pub in Thatto Heath in August this year.

READ MORE > Uncle and nephew jailed over pub attack as man left 'motionless' on floor

Frankie Parr had pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm (ABH) over his role in the assault in the pub.

The 33-year-old was two years for the affray offence and another 12 months for the ABH, making an overall term of three years, two-thirds of which to be served in prison. He was also given a three-year extended licence period after the judge found him to be a “dangerous” offender.

Restraining orders were passed for him not to contact his victims in the affray incident and the pub attack.

Gareth Parr was jailed over a stabbing at the Vine Tavern (Image: Merseyside Police)

Meanwhile, his nephew Gareth Parr was sentenced to four and a half years for wounding over the Vine attack and to 12 months for a breach of a suspended sentence, with a 21-month concurrent sentence for possession of a bladed article.

This made an overall prison term of five and a half years, of which two-thirds must be served in custody, with an extended three years on licence.

Defending Frankie Parr, Wyn Williams, said he had “adverse childhood experiences” and that his client “doesn’t want to live a life in prison”.