A TEENAGER swung a machete at a woman in a Swindon park, a court has heard.

Conner Robert Rayner was twice caught with a machete in the autumn of 2021 when he was aged just 19.

On the first occasion, he swung the machete at the woman near a children’s play park, before being caught with a 67-centimetre-long blade just over a month later.

The now 20-year-old had previously pleaded guilty to threatening a person with a blade and possession of a bladed article.

He was given a two-year community order, with Judge James Townsend deciding not to implement a punitive element “because of the stresses he is under”.

Earlier, prosecutor Ed Wylde had told the court the victim in the September attack was with friends when they were approached by two men and a “young boy smoking a cigarette”.

After a dialogue, the men left, but “it was understood they would be returning with knives”.

Rayner and the other man had approached the two women and “come up right behind them down an alley”, with the defendant carrying a machete and the other man carrying a Rambo knife.

“Mr Rayner swung the machete at the victim’s leg, narrowly missing,” Mr Wylde said.

It happened in Meadowcroft Park on September 13.

Just over a month later, on October 17, police were called to reports of youths with a large knife, the prosecutor continued.

“On approaching, a male ran off. That male was slowed by a member of the public such that PC Borrison was able to catch up and restrain him on the floor.

“He admitted he had a blade on him. There was a large sword-like machete which is 67 centimetres long.”

Defending, Sam Arif said despite her client saying the attack in Meadowcroft Park didn’t happen in a pre-sentence report, he does “accept the Crown’s case as it is”.

She said Rayner has “a myriad of mental health issues”, and he has not responded well to medication.

“He is willing to accept that help, and he realises he is in turmoil.

“I would say he has recently in the last few months been in a crisis. He is willing to try and take that step forward.

“Do we intervene right now and try to rehabilitate and engage him back into society, or do we send him to immediate custody today where there is going to be serious concern for his own safety and mixing with more criminally-minded people, and the effect that would have on him.”

She said the report said that he “would turn into a more sophisticated criminal” by going straight to prison.

Ms Arif said after eight months, he has not reoffended.

“He is very sorry, it has weighed heavily on him. I would ask you to consider that [a mandatory minimum sentence for more than one blade offence] is unjust in the circumstances, he should be allowed one more chance to get it right.”

Addressing the 20-year-old, Judge Townsend said: “As I’m sure you are aware, normally for offences of this sort a prison sentence would be almost inevitable.

“But there are a number of things that enable me not to send you into custody today,” citing that he’s never been to prison, his age, that he pleaded guilty, and that he “undoubtedly [has] mental health difficulties and most importantly you want to try to tackle those”.

“That gives you the best chance of not reoffending and particularly reoffending in this frightening way,” Judge Townsend concluded, saying it marked the “best chance of protecting the public”.

He imposed a two-year community order, with 40 rehabilitation activity days and a mental health treatment requirement.