Fine for pickaxe attack (From Gazette Series)

Fine for pickaxe attack

A SOLDIER who discovered his car had been badly damaged while he was away on duty took part in a frightening attack on the suspected vandal, Gloucester Crown Court has heard.

Martin Bloodworth, whom Wotton Sapper Dean Perks suspected of doing the damage to his car, was held by the soldier and his pal Richard Dimery against his will in a vehicle and hit with a pickaxe handle.

By the time police arrived on the scene, after being alerted by a concerned member of the public, Mr Bloodworth was "distressed, crying and clearly in a terrified state," said Ian Fenney, prosecuting.

Private Perks, 25, from Wotton-under-Edge and stationed with the 38th Engineers Regt at Ripon, Yorkshire, appeared in the dock last Thursday with Dimery, 28, of Horns Road, Stroud. Both admitted a charge of affray.

Dimery further admitted assault on a police constable and driving with excess alcohol.

The prosecution did not proceed with charges of kidnap against the two men. The court heard that on June 11, when Perks returned to Wotton after being away from the county, he found his car had been seriously damaged.

Bloodworth was suspected as the culprit so the two men went to his home.

Mr Fenney told the court that Mr Bloodworth named another man as the vandal so all three men went to that person's address. When he allegation turned out to be false Mr Bloodworth was restrained and placed in a van.

There, he was hit by Dimery on the back with a pickaxe handle.

Mr Fenney said that when special constable Stephen Lindsay arrived on the scene he saw Mr Bloodworth in the back of the van trying to get out.

"The officer could see he was distressed, crying shaking and clearly in a terrified state.

"Other officers then arrived. While in custody Dimery was breathalysed and gave a reading of 79 micrograms of alcohol, just over twice the legal limit for driving."

For Perks, barrister Giles Nelson said: "This was a situation born out of frustration.

"He returned to Wotton to find his car had been seriously damaged while he was away and he was extremely frustrated and angry.

"He was listening to the jungle drums and he jumped to a conclusion about the culprit and what then transpired was totally out of proportion and wrong."

Mr Nelson said Perks had been confined to barracks since his arrest. He had served in the Royal Engineers for three and a half years.

Fining Perks £500 and jailing Dimery for a total of four months - and banning him from driving for three years - Recorder Nicholas Hall said it had been "an utterly disgraceful affair".