Cyclist who hit two men over the head with a metal D-lock causing fracture has escaped jail

[dutchman]

A cyclist who hit two men over the head with a metal D-lock, causing one of them a depressed fracture to his skull, has escaped being jailed – to save his family from eviction



A judge at Warwick Crown Court heard Stephen Quinn had carried out the attacks after trying to take the law into his own hands by running off with the car keys of one of the men.

Quinn, 42, of Winston Avenue, Coventry, pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm and wounding, and was sentenced to two years in prison suspended for two years and ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work.

Prosecutor Ian Speed said that in September 2016 Andrew Tovey was at the Bell Green, Coventry, home of a friend of his, Daniel Anderson, helping to tidy up his garden.

Quinn turned up on his bicycle, and there was a verbal altercation between him and Mr Anderson over a car, which Mr Anderson asked another friend to move and handed him the keys.

But Quinn snatched the keys and ran off with them – but was caught and the keys were taken from him.

As the other men returned to Mr Anderson’s home, Quinn, brandishing the metal D-lock from his bike, struck Mr Tovey twice to his head.

Mr Anderson tried to push Quinn away, and was also struck with the lock, causing a wound to his face, said Mr Speed.

Mr Tovey had cuts to the left side of his head and to his cheek – and a depressed fracture to his skull, as a result of which he says he still suffers headaches, is unable to work, and gets dizzy when playing with his children.

Recorder Stephen Linehan QC observed that Quinn says he had seen Mr Anderson driving the car that morning, and ‘was aware or believed’ that Mr Anderson had no licence.

Sentencing Quinn, Recorder Linehan told him: “You involved yourself in a situation where you knew a person was driving a car not in possession of a driving licence, and you saw the car parked near to where he lived.

“A person came out with the keys to move the car, and you took it into your head you did not want the car moved because it was evidence, and you snatched the keys and ran off with them.

“There was absolutely no justification for that. You are not a police officer, you cannot just seize private property. It was inevitable those people would go after you.

“They moved back to where the car was, and while there you had in your possession a metal bicycle lock, and you used it, swinging it twice at the head of one of the people.

“They must have been heavy blows, for he suffered a depressed fracture of his skull, and he continues to suffer disabilities as a result of what you did.

“Only a prison sentence is appropriate. But it is said if I send you immediately to prison there is a real risk the family home will be lost, and your family will be homeless, with all the damaging consequences that would have.”

[rebbonk]

The judge is a fool.

He did the crime, he should pay. As regards his family, perhaps he should have thought about them prior to his actions.

[dutchman]

I've a feeling he'll be back in front of the court before long using the same excuse!