Dad who tracked down daughter's stolen bike threatened with metre-long samurai sword

A father, who tracked down his daughter's beloved bike on Facebook when it was stolen from their shed, was threatened by a man wielding a metre-long samurai sword when he went to an address to reclaim it.

Ryan Ingledew was jailed for two years, the recorder at Grimsby Crown Court, Taryn Turner, describing the sword used in the incident as a "vicious weapon". Grimsby Live reports the father's disabled daughter was "heartbroken" when their shed was broken into on the night of 31 March 2022, and the Carrera bicycle stolen.

However, just a day later he spotted it being sold on the 'Stuff for Sale Scunthorpe' Facebook page and instantly recognised it due to some unique features. Pretending to be interested in purchasing the bike, he responded to the listing and arranged a meet at an address on North Parade, Scunthorpe.

Attending the property with his stepson, Ingledew answered the door and the father waited while the bicycle was brought from the rear of the address. When he confronted the man about the fact the bike had been stolen from their shed a day earlier and the bicycle was his daughter's, Ingledew turned violent and reached inside the house to grab a samurai sword.

He threatened the father and his stepson with it, the court hearing that he told them: "Anyone who touches the bike will get chopped" and said that the bike was staying with him until "I get what I'm owed".

The father and stepson continued to be threatened with the sword as they went to their car, which was parked facing into the cul-de-sac and meant they had to turn around and drive back past Ingledew who continued to shout and wave the sword.

Ingledew was drunk at the time of the incident and once the father and stepson had escaped they reported him to the police who arrived at the property shortly after. The sword was seized and a suspect arrested, although the bike was no longer at the property. Officers also found a taser and lock-picking device.

The family's victim impact statements were heard in court, the father saying his disabled daughter was left "heartbroken".

"Her world came crashing down. It meant more to her than anything," prosecutor Benjamin Donnell read on their behalf, the stepson's statement adding that the family fears retaliation.

Ingledew was jailed for two years. Representing the defendant, David Godfrey told the court his client, who had 27 convictions for 41 previous offences, was in a "terrible state" due to heroin and cocaine addiction.