Dress-Wearing Machete Man Jailed Over 3-Hour Rooftop Rampage and Threat to Decapitate Asylum Seeker

A man who threatened to decapitate a resident at asylum seeker accommodation before carrying out a prolonged rooftop disorder during what the court heard was a mental health crisis exacerbated by heavy cannabis use has been jailed.

Joshua Brivett, 24, was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court to two years and eight months’ imprisonment after admitting affray, possession of an offensive weapon in a public place, and two counts of assaulting an emergency worker.

The court heard the incident in Handsworth on 12 June last year unfolded against a background of deteriorating mental health and significant cannabis consumption, which his defence said contributed to paranoia and loss of control.

Prosecutor Ilana Davis described the episode as “a sustained course of violence and threatening conduct”.

At around 3pm, a woman returned to accommodation used to house asylum seekers on London Road and found Brivett inside. “She found Mr Brivett had forced his way into the property. She found him downstairs shaving his hair and wearing a dress,” Ms Davis said.

“He said if she screamed he would cut her head off and gestured this with a machete across his neck.”

The woman fled and later reported feeling frightened and unable to return.

Brivett then exited through the rear, climbed onto rooftops and remained there for around three hours, during which he threw bricks, masonry and other items at police and emergency responders. One officer was struck on the ankle, and a paramedic was hit on the back by debris.

He also attempted to start a fire and made threats towards officers while negotiators sought to bring the situation under control. He was eventually detained after police forced entry at approximately 6.45pm.

In mitigation, Amrita Marwaha said her client’s offending must be viewed in the context of “clear mental health issues” alongside heavy cannabis use. “He was smoking a lot of cannabis that used to make him paranoid,” she told the court.

Judge Richard Bond accepted there had been a loss of control linked to Brivett’s condition on the day, stating: “You were having—although I don’t have medical evidence to direct me what was potentially wrong—you had some sort of mental breakdown that day.

“Because people in control of their faculties don’t act in this way.”

However, he emphasised the seriousness of the affray and the risk posed to the public and emergency workers. “I don’t have much sympathy. You caused chaos for about three hours,” he said.

“Police had to intervene to protect the public from you. Look at it from their point of view.”

The judge also noted the wider context of cannabis use, observing its potential impact on behaviour, but made clear it did not reduce the gravity of the offending.

Brivett, who has 25 previous offences, had spent nine months on remand. The court heard he had since engaged with courses in custody and expressed remorse, apologising to emergency workers.

He will serve up to half of his sentence in custody before release on licence.