Road rage dad with meat cleaver threatens to ‘chop up’ motorist
A dad-of-three waving a rusty meat cleaver threatened to “chop up” a fellow motorist in a road-rage incident after the “red mist descended”, a court heard.
Samson Evans, 30, followed victim David McDermott after losing his temper in Wirral[1] on April 4 this year. Evans, a landscape gardener, used the weapon to break a rear indicator on the victim’s vehicle and also broke a wing mirror before leaving the scene.
Evans, of Acorn Park in Vincent Street, Blackburn, was later arrested and charged with possession of a bladed article, affray, criminal damage and driving while disqualified and without insurance. He pleaded guilty and appeared at Liverpool Crown Court[2] today for sentence.
Recorder David Knifton, KC, passing sentence, told Evans: “Any road rage incident, particularly those involving threats with a weapon, are a cause of significant public concern. All of us who drive, when on the road, may make an error of judgement which may annoy another motorist.
“Usually, these are left to pass off without consequence.”
Chris Hopkins, prosecuting, told the court how Evans, driving a van, was behind the victim’s vehicle at a set of traffic lights. When the lights turned green, Evans tried to overtake the car in front “but ran out of road” and was forced to pull in behind it.
Judge Knifton, summarising the incident, said: “You were annoyed at having to pull in and the red mist descended resulting in you sounding your horn, flashing your lights and making offensive gestures towards him.”
Evans followed Mr McDermott’s vehicle until it stopped in Whitewell Drive, Upton[4], and “made a series of threats” including “I will smash your face in” and “chop you up”. The court heard he then produced the meat cleaver from within his vehicle and struck Mr McDermott’s car with it, causing damage.
Mr Hopkins said it later emerged Evans was disqualified from driving at the time of the incident, although the court accepted he had not been aware of the disqualification as court papers had been sent to an old address.
Douglas Stewart, defending, told the court his client had no previous convictions for violence. He said: “The meat cleaver was not taken out with him for any criminal purpose at all, he is a jobbing gardener and it is one of his tools.”
Mr Stewart said his client, the sole provider to his partner and their children, had acted “out of character” and the incident was effectively a “one-off” that ended without any injury.
Recorder Knifton said that “fear and distress” would have been caused to the victim, but said that Evans’ guilty plea, lack of previous convictions and work history meant he could suspend a prison sentence.
Evans was handed a nine month prison term, suspended for two years, and disqualified from driving for a further two years. He was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and 10 days of Rehabilitation Activity Requirement with the Probation Service.
Evans was also ordered to pay £300 compensation to the victim, as well as £425 prosecution costs.
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References
- ^ Wirral (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ Liverpool Crown Court (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ Men who joined carnage at Knowsley Suites hotel told to ‘expect prison’ (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ Upton (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)