Aristocrat whose family owned Blarney Castle jailed for bringing machete to business meeting

Romaine Colthurst took the weapon, a family heirloom, to the business meeting to “prove a point”, Welshpool Magistrates’ Court heard this week.

The court was told that Colhurst “was just carrying” her grandfather’s machete “for the visual aspect” but she denied any suggestion she brought it inside to make a threat.

The 53-year-old's father Oliver, a descendant of Irish Barons, owned Blarney Castle and estate in Cork, which included the world-famous Blarney Stone.

Colthurst has been unemployed for a decade and is now living off her family’s inheritance in Wales, the court heard.

She invested £320,000 (€360,800) into a cryptocurrency business belonging to entrepreneur Lyndon Farrington but lost a “substantial amount” of money in the deal.

In November 2022, she decided to meet with Mr Farrington in Llangedwyn Mill, near Oswestry, where his company Beep Mine Ltd is based.

Colthurst told police that she prepared for the confrontation by “brushing my hair and made sure my make-up and hair was straight and adjusted the machete under my coat”.

Her representative, Pretesh Chauhan, told the court: “Ms Colthurst made an ill-advised decision to take what is essentially a family heirloom to the meeting.

“She uses it on her estate to cut down grass and vegetation. Nothing I can say is designed to excuse the fact that she was transporting a weapon to what was essentially a business meeting”.

After admitting to possessing a bladed article, Colthurst was sentenced to six months in jail, suspended for 12 months.

She must also complete 150 hours of unpaid work and pay a £154 surcharge and £85 costs.

The court also ordered for the machete to be destroyed.