Knifeman, 21, in creepy clown mask who ‘stared’ at terrified children at primary school AVOIDS jail after claiming it was a ‘prank’

• Drelle Willis, 21, was seen on the AstroTurf of a primary school in a clown mask
• Willis followed the terrified schoolchildren when they moved away from him
• The school’s headteacher rushed the children inside to escape the creepy clown 
• Willis, who has autism, was found to be carrying a knife when police arrived  

A knifeman in a clown mask terrified children at a local school – then claimed it was a ‘prank’.

Drelle Willis, 21, was spotted on the AstroTurf of a primary school in Fallowfield wearing the creepy mask and ‘staring’ at children in a threatening way. 

Whenever the children moved away from him, Willis,  followed them, even if they were distressed, Manchester Crown Court heard.

The headteacher of the school had to bring the children inside as they were ‘absolutely petrified’. Half an hour later, police saw him nearby and he was found with a large kitchen knife hidden up his sleeve. He later claimed it was a ‘prank’.

Willis admitted possession of a knife and was handed a suspended sentence on Friday.

Prosecuting, Mark Pritchard said that just after 5pm on September 22, the headmaster of Wilbraham Primary School called 999 after seeing an ‘unknown male’ standing on the AstroTurf wearing a clown mask and ‘exhibiting threatening behaviour’.

Drelle Willis, 21, was spotted on the AstroTurf of a primary school in Fallowfield wearing a clown mask. He was found to have a knife up his sleeve

‘He said usually the AstroTurf is open for public use after hours, and children and families often play there,’ the prosecutor said. ‘He told the 999 call handler that the defendant was stood staring at the children and moving towards them in a threatening manner.

‘When the children moved away he would follow them, even if they were distressed.’

The principal said he ‘grabbed’ some of the children and brought them inside as they were ‘terrified. When police later arrested and searched him, they found the knife and the clown mask. The court heard Willis had no previous convictions.

Defending, Rebecca Caulfield said her client suffered ‘abuse’ at the hands of his mother and stepfather during his childhood and has since moved in with his grandmother. He is also diagnosed with autism and learning difficulties, she said.

Ms Caulfield said that during the day he had ‘unexpected’ contact from his stepfather and took a kitchen knife from his grandmother’s house, as well as a clown mask, and was going to ‘prank’ him.

‘He was upset about the whole situation,’ she said. ‘He didn’t know how to react to the situation. He was using it to prank him.

‘The knife was there for protection, as in the past his stepfather had threatened him.’

Defending, Rebecca Caulfield said Willis suffered ‘abuse’ at the hands of his mother and stepfather during his childhood. He also has autism and learning disabilities 

She said it would be ‘remiss’ of her not to acknowledge the trauma of the children at the school, and said her client is ‘regretful and remorseful’. She said people with autism often don’t understand the consequences to their actions and said the court process has been a ‘salutary experience’ for him.

Sentencing, the judge Recorder Nicholas Williams said: ‘When someone carries a knife in public, even if they believe for their own protection, the risk that someone gets hurt or even killed, increases dramatically.

‘When knives are produced in a situation where unfortunately that, too often, is what actually happens. The message must go out that carrying knives in public is simply not acceptable and will be dealt with by the courts.’

Willis, of Fairlawn Close, was handed six months imprisonment which was suspended for 12 months, and was banned from entering a certain area in Manchester.

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