Appleton dad jailed after spate of offences in Orford

There were more victims of Ryan Brennan following the spate of crimes that he committed on August 20 earlier this year - involving holding a pen knife to a woman's throat asking her if she wanted to die.

The 39-year-old pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, affray, threats to kill, aggravated vehicle taking, driving a vehicle without insurance and driving without a valid licence.

Yesterday, Monday, Liverpool Crown Court heard that Brennan’s offending on the day started after he crashed into the back of a car driven by an ‘elderly’ man at around 6am on Capesthorne Road, Orford.

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Prosecuting, Sarah Holt outlined that after Brennan, of Waterside, Appleton, hit the car with ‘force’ the pair got out to exchange details.

But this soon turned into an altercation where Brennan was ‘shouting’ and being ‘verbally abusive’ to the pensioner.

A couple who had stopped to assist with the crash were stood nearby when the woman noticed Brennan produce a pen knife so tried to pull her partner back.

The court heard how Brennan responded to this by saying: “It is a good job you are backing away.”

Ms Holt told the court that the elderly man was then held by the shoulder and pinned against the bonnet while Brennan held a knife to him.

Liverpool Crown Court

Meanwhile, an NHS worker was on her way to work and stopped after seeing the collision.

As she approached the scene, she saw Brennan was behaving aggressively and was trying to calm him down.

He then sat in her car and demanded the keys – swearing at her and threatening to kill her with a knife in his hand.

He then held a knife to the left side of her throat while asking her ‘do you want to die?’

The court heard how the woman was able to throw her keys to a passer-by which resulted in Brennan ‘throwing’ her to the ground.

His offending did not stop here.

A couple were driving down the road which was blocked by Brennan who was stood in the middle, so the driver put his window down to ask him to move.

Brennan lent inside the car ordering the couple to get out, telling them that he needed their vehicle.

He had his hands inside the car reaching for the keys in the ignition and would not let go.

He then went round to the passenger’s side where the driver’s wife was sitting – resulting in him driving off out of fear with Brennan clinging on.

Next Brennan, who has 14 previous convictions for 24 offences, targeted a delivery driver who was riding past on a bike.

He approached him to try and take the bike to get away, and ended up dragging him off the bike but was not in a ‘state’ to cycle due to being under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

Brennan then headed towards the Co-op as a BMW was pulling into the car park, where he began to sprint towards the vehicle.

He was demanding the female driver to get out of the car and hand him her keys – he then dragged her out of the car while still in possession of the knife.

Ms Holt told the court how she was described as being ‘distressed’ and in shock and told officers she was held at knife point.

Brennan then drove off in the BMW, which had all of the driver’s possessions in, travelling at high speed, missing a turn and driving straight through a wooden fence shortly before police arrived.

Footage shows Brennan walking away from officers saying he ‘will stab them’ as they were shouting at him to come back.

He was then tasered by police.

Ms Holt read out two victim impact statements to the court, one from the elderly man who described himself as being ‘traumatised’ after being threatened with a knife and ‘paranoid’ in his own home after the incident.

She also read out one from the NHS worker who claimed the ‘sole purpose for stopping was to help an elderly man’.

She claimed she has since suffered with anxiety, flash backs, struggles to function and will think twice about stopping to help someone again.

Ms Holt said: “It was a matter of good fortune that no one was injured.”

Simeon Evans, defending, said there is a ‘stark contrast’ between the Ryan Brennan on the day of the offence to the Ryan Brennan sat before the court.

Liverpool Crown Court

He said: “Mr Brennan has a clear background of mental health difficulties and I ask your honour to take into some account the guidelines of sentencing those with mental health disorders.”

Mr Evans told the court that on the day of the offence Brennan was struggling with his mental health, had took an overdose and was under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

He said that Brennan ‘insists’ that he cannot remember details of what happened but is appalled at his own behaviour.

“It is desperately difficult for him to listen to all of the details of what he did before the court,” Mr Evans said.

The court heard how Brennan has shown genuine remorse and has drafted a letter to apologise to the victims for the fear and anxiety he caused.

Concluding, Recorder J Close said: “The offences have been described by witnesses as you being on a rampage and that is a fair description.”

Referring to the NHS worker, Judge Close said: “That morning, she was on her way to help people.

“When she stopped, she was being a good Samaritan – it is difficult to undersell the cruelty of your actions of attacking someone in that position.

“You held a knife at her throat and said ‘do you want to die?’ while she said ‘please I don’t want to die, somebody help me’.

“Her sole purpose of stopping on that occasion was to help an elderly man and she has said she will now think twice about stopping to help someone.

“For someone who is willing to stop and help people, for you to take that away – it weakens all.”

Judge Close said he is ‘highly conscious’ that Brennan has a young family who are ‘financially dependent on him’.

Brennan was handed a five-year prison sentence.