Leon Charlton, 24, has been jailed for 16 months after swinging a machete at a man and then driving his car into a stationary Nissan Qashqai during a neighbour dispute in Felling, Gateshead. The incident, captured on dashcam footage from a passing bus, occurred on Staneway on August 9 this year.
Details of the Incident
Newcastle Crown Court heard how Charlton swung a machete at a man, who was armed with a baseball bat, and narrowly missed him. He then got into his car and drove straight at the Nissan Qashqai, which belonged to a woman the man was staying with. The collision pushed the stationary Nissan into a wall at the woman's property, causing the wall to collapse.
The incident was witnessed by people on the street as well as those on a passing Go North East bus. The court was told that Charlton was living on the street with his mother, and the man would make comments to him and his mother while staying at the woman's home, which was opposite.
Court Proceedings
Charlton, of Coltsfoot Gardens, Felling, Gateshead, pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon, affray, dangerous driving, and criminal damage. He appeared in court via a video link to Durham prison and had three previous convictions and a conditional caution for possessing an offensive weapon.
Mairi Clancy, defending, said there was violence used on both sides and the male victim was swinging a bat towards the defendant. She told the court: "Clearly it makes for bad viewing but it was a short lived incident. It was over in a matter of minutes. This was a neighbour dispute bubbling under the surface for a while and culminated in this."
Sentencing Remarks
Ms Clancy said that Charlton was 23 when the incident happened and lacked maturity. She said: "It's a momentary lapse of temper in my submission. He's not someone who habitually loses his temper. The behaviour is out of character for him."
Judge Robert Spragg told Charlton that his mother had been upset by the behaviour of the male victim, which led to him being "extremely angry". He said: "You went across the road with a machete. You say he swung a baseball bat and you responded by swinging a machete. You then said your mind went blank after that."
In relation to the dangerous driving, the judge said: "It was a highly dangerous manoeuvre. There was damage caused to the vehicle and also the property. There were people who witnessed this. You could see them on the CCTV."
Judge Spragg said trying to hit someone with a machete and gratuitously driving his car into another vehicle to damage it is so serious that only an immediate custodial sentence can be imposed. He said: "There were members of the public present at this scene who, no doubt, would have been horrified by what they were witnessing."
The judge said he had taken into account Charlton's age as the sentencing guidelines say he is emotionally unlikely to have fully developed. He said: "I also take into account you're not heavily convicted."
Judge Spragg sentenced Charlton to 16 months in prison and disqualified him from driving for two years and four months. He told him he must sit an extended driving test before he gets back behind the wheel.
