A TEENAGER who attacked a woman with a machete in a Wrexham shop has been jailed.

Bradley Mills, of Crescent Close, appeared at Mold Crown Court on Wednesday for sentencing.

The 19-year-old had previously admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and possession of a bladed article in a public place at a previous hearing.

Simon Rogers, prosecuting, told the court that on the afternoon of September 4 last year the complainant Katie Evans was in Wrexham town centre to buy items for college and to meet a friend.

She met another male friend who left them - and later saw him chasing two other males, one of whom was Mills.

They ran into a Sports Direct Store and Ms Evans ran after them.

Following an argument, Mills shouted an abusive remark at Ms Evans, who returned to confront him.

But Mills came at her brandishing a blade described as a “Rambo knife” or machete.

He moved it in a swiping motion and as she ran Ms Evans felt a warm feeling on her shoulder, before realising she had been injured.

Mills fled the scene and ran through the town centre, but was detained by police a short time later at the front of Tesco.

He was still in possession of the weapon.

Ms Evans was taken to hospital where she was treated for three wounds; one over her shoulder, one on the upper back and another on her lower shoulder blade.

The lower injury penetrated the chest wall and caused her lung to collapse.

She remained in hospital for three days and required 12 stitches.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, she said she has been greatly affected by the attack and suffered nightmares and flashbacks.

She will be left with “scarring on her body for the rest of her life,” Mr Rogers said.

In addition to the attack, Mills was also sentenced for a drugs offence which took place in Liverpool in April.

He had been stopped by plain clothes police officers at Lime Street Station and found to be in possession of 114 grams of Cannabis - worth between £1,100 and £1,700.

Henry Hills, defending, said: “The best mitigation I can submit on Bradley Mills’ behalf is that he has entered guilty pleas at the earliest opportunity.

“I have to acknowledge the serious nature of this wounding.

“It is my submission that Bradley Mills’ life has been profoundly shaped by extremely damaging and disturbing experiences during his childhood and adolescence.

“It is clear he needs to be helped to develop constructive ways of thinking and behaving.”

Judge Niclas Parry told Mills: “To describe your behaviour in Wrexham town centre as irrational would be an understatement.

“On a busy day in a shopping centre where there would be people and children, you were carrying a large knife akin to a machete.

“Acting in what was a gross over reaction to a verbal altercation, you carried out a sustained attack using that machete on a female.

“It was a frightening incident which left three wounds - the most serious of which resulted in a collapsed lung.

“You were completely out of control.”

For the attack in Wrexham, Judge Parry handed Mills an extended sentence comprising six years in custody and a three year extended license period.

He also received a nine month sentence for the drugs offence, to run concurrently.