A vigilante who used a flatbed truck to ram a stolen quad bike, sending a teenager flying through the air and causing multiple fractures, has been jailed. Declan Fahey, 27, of Windsor Court, Croxdale, County Durham, took the law into his own hands after a friend's quad bike was stolen.
Newcastle Crown Court heard that on March 5 last year, Fahey and others went looking for the missing quad bike. When they spotted it on Redworth Road, Shildon, with several riders, including a 16-year-old boy, Fahey pursued it and deliberately drove his Mazda flatbed truck into it.
The collision sent the riders flying through the air. The teenager suffered multiple fractures to his skull, face, and thigh bone, as well as possible bruising to his lung. Fahey did not stop to help and drove off from the scene.
Vigilante Attack
Recorder Richard Herrmann said Fahey's actions were premeditated and amounted to a vigilante-type attack. He stated: 'You decided that made them fair game, or that you would take the law into your own hands.' Fahey denied causing grievous bodily harm with intent but was convicted by a jury.
In police interview, Fahey said of the victim: 'It's his own fault.' During the trial, he claimed he did not intend to collide with the quad bike, saying he would not have wanted to damage his friend's property.
Sentencing
Fahey, who had no previous convictions, was jailed for 42 months and banned from driving for 57 months. His defence barrister, Chris Morrison, said the attack was out of character and that Fahey is 'a good man who has been convicted of doing a bad thing.' The court heard Fahey has lost three-and-a-half stone while on remand.
The victim did not participate in the case, so no update on his condition was provided.
