Thomas Fernandez-Lee brandished zombie knife at family during Christmas Day row

A NEW Forest teenager brandished a zombie knife at his family in a row on Christmas Day, a court heard.

Thomas Fernandez-Lee (19), of Southampton Road, Godshill, attacked his mother and father during the incident, which happened after they returned to their home in Godshill near Fordingbridge after spending time with their extended family.

Prosecutor Gary Venturi told Southampton Crown Court Fernandez-Lee had finished a shift as a chef before being collected by his mother and driven to visit family in Southbourne.

On the way they stopped at a shop and he purchased two bottles of Magnum, a Jamaican tonic wine with an alcohol content of 16.5% . On arrival at around 6pm, he was “tipsy” but in high spirits, the court heard.

However, on the way home, when his mother stopped for petrol, a row ensued after Thomas’ father Andrew Stanley-Ward called him an “idiot” upon realising a plate of food he had put in the boot had spilled over.

Thomas struck his father twice in the chest, with Mr Stanley-Ward ending up on the floor.

When they arrived home, Mr Stanley-Ward went to bed but heard his son say he was going to a party. Not long after, the defendant returned and said he had been assaulted.

Mr Venturi explained he was “in and out of his room” showing his family members a cut under his eye, and began playing music loudly.

When his mother asked him to stop bothering them, he slapped her in the face. He then went into his father’s bedroom, jumping on the bed and struck him again to the chest.

A struggle ensued, with Mr Stanley-Ward restraining his son, the court heard, but when he let go, he hit him again before going to his bedroom to retrieve a “zombie-style knife” and began “waving it around”.

When his father attempted to take the knife, he suffered a cut to his wrist and a further struggle ensued before Fernandes-Lee was restrained until police arrived.

The defendant, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of battery, and possession of an offensive weapon.

Addressing the court, his father said the incident and fall-out from it had been “a nightmare” for the “extremely close” family.

He said the incident had been “fuelled” by alcohol, adding his son suffered with severe neurodiversity, adding: “There is definitely an underlying [issue] there of autism or ADHD. The alcohol fuels that terribly. Scientific research shows alcohol and ADHD is like putting fuel on a fire.”

Mr Stanley-Ward said it had been an “emotive” day as it was the first Christmas without Fernandez-Lee’s late grandmother, and the first time he had worked on Christmas Day.

“I’m not excusing what happened, but you need to have the context”, he added, explaining he had also been drinking that day and was intoxicated.

“I have massive regrets – I was a bad influence on Tom. He has seen me drinking for years, which was not acceptable.”

Alcohol was no longer kept in the house and Mr Stanley-Ward said his son had not drunk since the incident. He needed to be home with his family, he added, having been bailed to stay with his grandparents since the incident.

“We are going to do everything we can, but we need Tom home, so he can be stable and build a better life. We understand Tom more than anyone – we love him. He’s got his issues but we can help him and guide him. He needs to come home.”

He explained his son had previously received help from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), but had been discharged once he turned 18, adding: “I see this as a mental health incident rather than a criminal incident”.

The case was adjourned for probation officers to explore whether a mental health treatment was an option ahead of sentencing. Fernandez-Lee also needed to be taken to hospital, his barrister Andrew Houston explained, as he had been “coughing up blood”.

Judge Rowland bailed Fernandez-Lee until sentencing on 16th April.