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Man charged after machete incident in Church Lane
29/05/2023
Shoppers – including young children – were in the street at the time
A man has been charged with possession of a knife after a video was shared online showing a male brandishing a machete in the centre of Banbury on Saturday. The person in the video can be seen leaving a shop in Church Lane with the weapon in his hand whilst shoppers – some of them young children – mill around in the sunshine.
Twenty-two year old Adil Taseem, of Manor Road in Banbury, was arrested yesterday in connection with the incident. He has today been charged with one count of possession of a knife and one count of using threating, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause fear of or to provoke unlawful violence.
In the video clip two males are seen inside Trinders Barbershop on Church Lane. Shouts of “Get out! Get out now!” can be heard from within the shop. The two males then exit the building onto Church Lane. The second of them is holding a machete, which he places inside his trousers, down the leg.
As they walk away the male with the machete acknowledges the person filming, saying: “Yeah continue recording mate”. Both leave Church Lane, running as they turn left into Parson’s Street.
The incident happened during shopping hours on Saturday but appears to have only been reported to the police after it appeared online. On Sunday lunchtime Thames Valley Police said: “We are aware of video footage that is circulating on social media of an incident that occurred in Banbury Town Centre.
“This incident is under investigation and we will provide updates when it is appropriate for us to do so.”
At the time of the incident Church Lane had a number of shoppers around, some of whom were young children.
On Sunday evening Thames Valley Police issued an update saying they had made an arrest in relation to the video circulating on social media.
Taseem has been charged today and remanded in custody. He is due to appear at Oxford Magistrates’ Court tomorrow (May 30).
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam