Eyewitness reveals moment three men launched terrifying hammer attack in Ball Hill

[dutchman]

Jan O'Hara was caught in the centre of this morning's drama



A dad has spoken of the heart-stopping moment he saw three men attack another man with hammers in the middle of the street.

Jan O’Hara had stopped his car at the pedestrian crossing in Walsgrave Road, Ball Hill, when another car crashed in to the back of his Mercedes this morning.

As he emerged from his car to assess the damage, he was met by the sight of three men from a third car launching their attack.

Jan told the Telegraph: “I was taking my son to school and was in the traffic on Ball Hill when a car hit the back of me.

“I jumped out of my car and so did [the other driver]. I noticed a car behind that one and three lads jumped out of that one as well.

“They smashed his car up and hit him as well, before he ran down the road where they were all beating him up.”

The attackers then drove off in their car following the incident at around 8.25am, before the man being hit returned to his own car - a silver Chevrolet - and went to get in to the driver’s seat.

Jan says he took the keys off him and kept him there until police arrive a short while later.

He added: “It wasn’t road rage as they had three hammers. One hammer was wedged in to the parcel shelf of the Chevrolet.”

Jan’s own car had its rear bumper knocked off in the initial collision and he has since given a statement to police, as well as photos he took at the scene.

The dad also thanked a woman who sat and comforted his three-year-old son who was “shook up” by the incident.

Jan said: “There was a lovely girl who sat with my son and made sure he was okay, so a massive thank you to her. She was fantastic.”

Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to call West Midlands Police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via http://www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

[dutchman]

Victim of Ball Hill hammer attack charged by police


The vehicle damaged in the hammer attack is removed from the scene

The man arrested after Monday’s dramatic hammer attack in Ball Hill was the VICTIM, police have confirmed.

Qwame Leroy was chased by three men and attacked with the weapons in front of horrified drivers and passers-by in Walsgrave Road.

The gang then smashed the rear windscreen and passenger window of his silver Chevrolet before speeding off in their own car.

However, Leroy himself was arrested and has now been charged with driving while disqualified and using a motor vehicle without insurance.

Leroy, 40, from Stoke Aldermoor, will appear at Coventry Magistrates’ Court on October 19.

A spokesman for West Midlands Police also confirmed they are still searching for his attackers and are appealing for witnesses to come forward.

[rebbonk]

This is going to be interesting to follow through the courts.