John Henry Sayers told police he was trying to protect his children when his home came under attack by a gang he thought were there to kill him. Sayers is standing trial accused of attacking arsonist Walter Patterson with a machete after catching him torching a Range Rover which had been driven into his home in Byker, Newcastle.
Court Hears Transcript of Police Interview
Sayers and his son, John Henry Sayers jnr, are standing trial at the Old Bailey, in London, accused of GBH with intent, which they deny. Jurors were read a transcript of a police interview with Sayers which took place the day after the incident, in February last year. After initially remaining silent, Sayers then started giving an account, although he told police he didn't trust them and alleged the gang who were targeting him had police informants among their number.
Sayers and his legal team were shown some footage of the incident, and an officer put it to him that it appears to show him hit Patterson then get into the burning Range Rover to move it. Sayers replied that he was 'trying to drive away to save a major incident of the whole place burning down'. Asked if he put it in gear and released the handbrake to get it away, Sayers nodded and pointed out a child was in his home at the time.
Defendant Claims He Feared for His Life
Sayers was asked to explain what was going on in his head at the time of the incident. He replied: 'I don't trust yous.' After a break in the interview, Sayers began to answer more questions. He said: 'I remember coming around the corner seeing the car alight.' He said he thought Patterson had a knife in his hand. Sayers, who had been told at that stage he was being arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, added: 'I just hit him, I'm not having me or my sons stabbed by some **** who's trying to burn us out. I'm not trying to kill anyone, just trying to stop him hurting anyone.'
He added, in relation to the Range Rover: 'Bearing in mind it's on fire and full of smoke, I just knew I had to get rid of it. I put my hand on the footbrake, it would not go in gear otherwise.'
Criticism of Police Handling
During questioning, one of the officers said it appears Sayers has been 'under siege this weekend'. His solicitor responded by criticising Northumbria Police for their handling of previous allegations, saying their investigation of that has been 'just a joke'. One officer said, in relation to the circumstances of the alleged attack: 'You are the same age as me. You might have lived a different life to me but I don't know what I would do under those circumstances. I just don't know.' Sayers replied: 'Any parent is going to look after their kids, surely.'
In relation to when they moved up the street away from his property, Sayers said: 'He never got hit after that mind. All I done was grab hold of him.' He added that he had shouted that Patterson had a knife and Sayers jnr thought he had a knife. He added: 'He didn't want him to get up and start f****** stabbing us.'
Defendant Describes Fear for His Children
Sayers went on to say: 'You've got nee idea what we're going through man. It's f****** horrible.' He said, following a previous incident: 'I said I had to protect them (his children) better. That's what I tried to do, protect the kids.' He added: 'I saw John Henry stop and I thought he had stabbed him. I thought f*** you. I thought has this **** stabbed my bairn. So I chased him and grabbed him.'
'There was a scuffle. He tried to grab my arm and punch me. I put him on his a**e. I tripped him, I kicked his feet away from him. I saw John Henry walking up and thought he has not been stabbed, thank f***.'
Police Response and Taser Incident
Sayers said he then saw an 'armed response Volvo' police car go past. He said: 'I thought you useless b*******, you can't even see us. I told John Henry to go and get them. I could see him waiting for them. He was shouting at them saying 'you stupid b*******'.' The officer said the PCs who attended were focused on the burning car initially. Sayers said: 'All of a sudden I panicked and thought I've got to get to the bairn in the house. I just ran. I thought is it on fire and I can't see it. That thought went out of the window when I got tasered.'
Sayers said he didn't hear the officer tell him to drop the machete and was just concerned whether his property was on fire and whether those inside were safe. He said: 'I'm hard of hearing anyway and I had been hit on the side of the head.'
Defendant Denies Causing Serious Injuries
Asked about Patterson's injuries, Sayers said he was 99.9% certain he had not caused serious injuries with the machete. He went on to say: 'Did I hit him in the head, I don't know where I hit him. I just know I had to stop him coming forward to stop him stabbing my son. I didn't go out there to hurt anyone.'
Asked when he first became aware his house was under attack that night, Sayers said: 'I was watching telly and I heard a bang. I knew what it was. The whole house shook. I just thought 'not again'.' He added that he thought they were there to try to kill him again. With reference to the burning Range Rover, he said the whole building could've been set alight. He added: 'I'm pleased it didn't blow up when I put my head in the car.'
Allegations of Police Informants
His solicitor told officers police know a group of criminals are behind the attack and other incidents and said police have not caught them. Sayers alleged some of the group responsible for targeting him are 'registered working for yous'. His solicitor clarifies that he means as police informants. The officer said: 'I can't confirm or deny that.' Sayers added: 'That's why I don't have f*** all to do with yous, I can't trust yous.'
Sayers was also asked about what conversation took place between him and Patterson when he caught up with him. He said he asked him who sent him and said Patterson told him he was from Durham. The officer asked him who Patterson was working for. Sayers replied: 'I'm not telling you that, that's not my job.' He added: 'He did say he was made to do it.' Asked if he asked Patterson if he was behind another incident, Sayers replied: 'I didn't have time.'
Concern for Child During Incident
He said when he saw the police car, he was just concerned about a child, adding that the thought was 'just f****** constant' and that police were 'taking ages to get out of the car'. He added: 'Then I just f****** started running.' Jurors were told Sayers junior exercised his legal right to remain silent throughout his police interview and didn't answer any questions.
Sayers snr, 62, and Sayers jnr, 29, both of Fossway, Byker, Newcastle, deny causing GBH with intent. The trial continues.
