Thomas Fernandez-Lee of Godshill handed suspended prison sentence at Southampton Crown Court after zombie knife incident on Christmas Day

A NEW Forest teenager who brandished a zombie knife at his family in a row on Christmas Day, has been handed a suspended prison sentence.

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

As reported in the A&T, the case at Southampton Crown Court was adjourned last month for probation officers to explore whether mental health treatment was an option ahead of sentencing.

However, appearing at the court, his barrister Andrew Houston stated it had not been possible to get Fernandez-Lee the support he needed through the courts.

The court previously heard Fernandez-Lee had finished a shift as a chef on Christmas Day before being collected by his mother and driven to visit family in Southbourne.

Having drunk two bottles of Magnum – a Jamaican tonic wine with an alcohol content of 16.5% – he was said to be “tipsy” but in high spirits, the court heard.

However, on the way home, a row broke out after Fernandez-Lee’s father Andrew Stanley-Ward called him an “idiot” on realising a plate of food he had put in the boot had spilled.

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

At home, another row later broke out, and Fernandez-Lee slapped his mother in the face, before jumping on his father in bed and hitting him in the chest.

Mr Stanley-Ward restrained 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 tried to take the knife, he was cut on the wrist. There was a further struggle before Fernandez-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.

Sentencing him to six months in prison, suspended for two years, Judge Nicholas Rowland said: “It is a matter of great disappointment that I cannot make the order I want to make. I very much hope you get the help you need elsewhere.

“These were serious offences but I am going to suspend the sentence. If you don’t do as you are told, you will be back, but I very much expect that won’t happen.”

He also ordered Fernandez-Lee to undertake a nine-month alcohol treatment order, and 20 rehabilitation activity sessions.