A knife-wielding rapper who sparked a major police incident outside a music venue in Aberdeen has avoided a prison sentence after it was revealed he was responding to an unprovoked gang attack.
Neriya Adiukwu pleaded guilty in February to brandishing what onlookers described as a “large knife or machete” outside the city’s Lemon Tree music venue on August 16 last year.
Adiukwu, 20, was involved in an altercation with a group of masked men when he was seen holding the knife.
Under the stage name Nezza, Adiukwu was due to be the main act at the Between the Lines showcase at the Lemon Tree – until trouble erupted outside the venue.
The court heard how armed police units quickly descended on the scene following reports of a man lunging at members of the public while clutching a knife with “a silver blade about 10 inches long”.
It was stated that Adiukwu was involved in an altercation with a group of young men wearing balaclavas when he was seen holding the knife.
However, his solicitor, Ian Woodward-Nutt, argued that the knife had been dropped by the group and Adiukwu picked it up to chase them off.
Mr Woodward-Nutt claimed these young men had challenged his client with knives, knuckledusters and a baseball bat.
Six men with balaclavas appeared
Fiscal depute Calum Gordon told the court that on August 16 last year, a music event for up-and-coming hip hop acts was being held at The Lemon Tree.
The concert was due to begin at 7.30pm and had been heavily promoted on social media by both the performers and the venue.
However, as we reported at the time, it was later cancelled.
During the afternoon, the acts assembled at the venue for a soundcheck.
One witness, who went out a side entrance onto Shoe Lane for a cigarette, saw Adiukwu there with a group of around seven or eight people.
Soon after, the witness saw a group of around six young men wearing all black clothing and balaclavas run towards them from the West North Street entrance of the lane.
The group ran towards Adiukwu, said the witness.
Stabbing motion
The witness and others ran back into the venue and closed the doors.
From behind the door, the witness could hear shouting outside but couldn’t see what was happening.
At the same time, two witnesses who were driving near the venue saw a group of men spill out into the street.
One witness saw several young men run out into the road, alongside a black male in a blue tracksuit.
She saw that he was making a stabbing motion towards the other males and that he was holding an object that was 20cm in length, which she presumed to be a knife.
Second witness saw large knife
Another witness also saw the black male in a blue tracksuit and said he was making a stabbing motion and was “lunging towards another male trying to stab him”.
A police officer was driving to Marischal College Police Station to begin her shift when she also saw a large group of males involved in a physical altercation in the street.
She saw the males fighting and chasing each other before one male in a blue tracksuit raised what she believed to be a large knife or machete above his head.
Multiple police units arrived on the scene but found neither the accused or any other people involved.
The police reviewed CCTV footage and saw that Adiukwu appeared to have been assaulted by the six males.
Adiukwu was then seen to retaliate by lunging at them with a large knife before re-entering The Lemon Tree.
He was found in the bathroom of the venue wearing the same clothing that was seen on camera.
In the dock, Adiukwu pleaded guilty to one charge of brandishing a knife and attempting to strike multiple persons with it.
He also admitted a second charge of being in possession of a knife.
Adiukwu had one previous conviction for assault of permanent disfigurement with a bottle.
‘Beyond what could be considered self defence’
Defence solicitor Ian Woodward-Nutt described his client as a “rap artist with a following in this part of the world” and added that at the time of the incident Adiukwu had just finished a sound check at the venue.
He and a few other performers went out onto Shoe Lane for a cigarette.
“Mr Adiukwu was certainly not looking for trouble, quite the contrary, but trouble came looking for him,” Mr Woodward-Nutt said.
“Six masked men came to attack him – the attack was brief, but my client’s position is that these individuals were armed.
“It’s during the attack that the knife was dropped by one of the assailants and Mr Adiukwu picked it up and chased after them – he accepts he went beyond what could be considered self-defence.”
Sheriff Craig Findlater told Adiukwu he had admitted “two serious offences” but conceded that he was “unarmed” and that the knife was brought to the side street by people intent on doing him harm.
“Your lack of maturity has already been commented on, and I must consider your age and rehabilitation.
“You have had a difficult upbringing with adverse childhood experiences.”
As an alternative to a prison sentence, Sheriff Findlater made Adiukwu, of Coast Road, Aberdeen, subject to a community payback order with supervision for two years.
He also ordered Adiukwu to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.
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