Judge's fury as 'dangerous' alleged rapist who threatened to chop accuser 'into little pieces' is bailed by police

By JAMES TOZER, NORTHERN CORRESPONDENT and GLYN BELLIS Published: 17:51, 23 July 2026 | Updated: 17:51, 23 July 2026 A 'dangerous' alleged rapist was bailed by police despite threatening to attack his accuser, 'chop her into little pieces' and 'bury her'. After being released, serial offender Martin Edwards, 41, armed himself with a large kitchen knife, a court heard today, saying: 'I am going to murder her.' Thankfully a former soldier living near the woman managed to calm him down and removed the knife. As he jailed Edwards, a judge today demanded an explanation from police.  'There seems to have been a wholesale failure in this case', said Judge Simon Mills, the senior circuit judge in North Wales.  'I can't understand how this man came to be released from custody, having said he was going to murder a person who was alleging rape. 'What did he do? He went around, within a short time of making those threats in a police station, with a knife.' Earlier prosecutor Selda Krasniqi described how Edwards was arrested in March 2026 after a rape allegation. Martin Edwards, 41, was bailed by police despite threatening to attack a woman who had accused him of rape, 'chop her into little pieces' and 'bury her' While in custody, he said 'I'm not having her saying I raped her' and 'as soon as I get out of here on bail I am going to find her and chop her into little pieces', Caernarfon Crown Court heard. He also threatened to 'bury her'. Despite this, he was released on bail and travelled to an address armed with a knife where he was stopped before he could attack her.  The ex-soldier neighbour contacted police to report a 'threat to life'. But the court heard there was a 24-hour delay before officers attended and recovered the 'potential murder weapon'. The man subsequently put in a formal complaint, saying the delay had 'affected my confidence in relying on emergency services where there's an immediate threat to life'. Judge Mills said the witness was 'very public-spirited' and 'quite possibly saved the target of Mr Edwards' behaviour from serious harm.' Edwards, of no fixed address, had 36 offences on his record including for violence.   Defence counsel Simon Killeen said he had paranoid schizophrenia. His mental condition affected the way he viewed being slighted. He admitted making death threats, affray and having a knife in public. The judge said no further action had been taken following the rape allegation. Judge Mills jailed him for three years and eight months. But describing him as 'very dangerous,' he added five years to his licence period and imposed a 15-year restraining order.  Demanding an explanation from North Wales Police, the judge said: 'A person alleging rape needs to be protected and shouldn't have people free to walk from a police station having said to a police officer "I am going to kill them." 'I need to have some satisfaction that nothing like this can happen again.' North Wales Police was approached for comment.