Gloire Pongo, who took machete on to Colchester train, is jailed

A member of the public spotted the huge knife in Gloire Pongo’s waistband following an altercation between the pair at Hythe Station in Colchester on January 20.

After Pongo boarded a London-bound train, the member of the public told security staff at the station who contacted British Transport Police.

Officers armed with Tasers boarded the train at Witham.

At Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday Michael Morris, prosecuting, said: “Police located the defendant on the train.

“He was searched and a large machete was found kept in his waistband.

“He was taken to the police station where he was interviewed during which he answered no comment.”

Weapon - the machete, which has a 15-inch blade. Picture: British Transport Police

Pongo was charged with possessing a bladed article in a public place which he admitted at a trial preparation hearing last month.

He has four previous convictions for five offences including for possession of an offensive weapon in 2010 and possession of a bladed article in 2011.

Sarah O’Kane, mitigating, told the court Pongo, of Guildford Road, East London, had been visiting his girlfriend near the University of Essex on the day of his arrest.

She said he carried a knife as he had been “on the sharp end of having a knife used against him”.

Ms O’Kane added: “He sustained quite a vicious attack himself in 2013. He speaks candidly of being fearful of repercussions since that day.

“The fear has been compounded by a burglary in 2017 and an attack on his father last year.”

Judge Emma Peters sentenced Pongo to nine months in jail.

She said: “We all know knife crime is a massive issue at the moment and one of the problems is that those who carry them end up being the victims of knife crime.

“I accept the incident in 2013 was very unpleasant but my duty is to punish you and deter you and others.”