We've all been there. Some SMIDSY drongo puts your life in danger and the red mist descends. You fantasise angrily about what you might do if you carried some sort of weapon. A cyclist from Telford just found out how bad an idea it is to act out those fantasies when he was handed an eight month jail sentence after an nasty scuffle with a driver.
The Shropshire Star reports that cyclist Alexander Hassell told driver Jason O’Neill he would "cut him". Hassall, Recorder Peter Rouch QC said had been "out of control".
The court heard that 35-year-old Hassell got into an altercation with O’Neill after a near miss between O'Neill's car and Hassall, who was on a bike at the junction of Mill Street and Kings Street, Wellington, near Telford.
Timothy Harrington, prosecuting, said that the defendant had ridden on but was weaving across the carriageway preventing O’Neill from passing him.
He said that Hassell then stopped, threw his bike to the ground, and aimed a kick at O’Neill’s car causing £250 damage to a door and wing mirror.
Harrington said that the defendant lunged at Mr O’Neill and the pair were wrestling on the floor.
“Mr O’Neill had been holding the defendant when Hassell was shouting that he would “cut him” and he would “stab him”. Mr O’Neill was trying to restrain the defendant,” said Harrington.
Hassall pleaded guilty to affray, being in possession of an offensive weapon and criminal damage.
The court heard that Hassall had taken a craft knife out of his pocket and was still making threats when O'Neill knocked it from his hand.
Hassall had a lock knife as well, and bystanders were told they would "also be stabbed".
Recorder Peter Rouch QC said Hassell had been “out of control”. His behaviour frightened O’Neill and nearby members of the public.
Debra White, mitigating, said Hassall regretted his behaviour and accepted he had reacted angrily.
22 thoughts on “Cyclist jailed after knife attack on driver”
christ drivers that have
christ drivers that have killed cyclists have received less than that!
Indeed. Crazy reaction, but
Indeed. Crazy reaction, but it’s galling seeing things like:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-28965606
or this:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scotland/10333991/Motorist-who-killed-two-cyclists-has-controversial-sentence-upheld.html
or this:
http://www.roadjustice.org.uk/case-study/careless-driver-gets-community-sentence-a435-cyclist-death-4810
or this, “Only 1 in 10 drivers face jail time after killing a cyclist”.
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/40-cyclists-killed-4-drivers-jailed-exclusive-investigation-reveals-only-one-in-10-drivers-are-jailed-after-being-involved-in-cyclist-death-9034187.html
McDuff73 wrote:christ drivers
The difference is whether there is intent or not. Pulling out a knife and threatening someone is obvious intent to harm, whereas a traffic collision is not.
Regardless of what drivers
Regardless of what drivers have or have not done… this is no cyclist, he’s clearly just a dick on a bike who needs to be put away before he does somebody some serious damage. 8 months doesn’t sound long enough to me.
netclectic wrote:this is no
I don’t notice this subtle distinction ever being applied on this forum to drivers!
Cyclists (people who cycle?) are many kinds of individual, dicks included. Just like drivers.
Duncann wrote:netclectic
I don’t think its quite the same thing though.
The weapon was a knife, not a bike, and indeed the guy was a pedestrian at the time he attacked the victim.
Whereas with drivers we are usually talking about an incident where the car itself was the ‘weapon’ and where driving was consequently central to the offence. Take those drivers out of the car and they no longer pose a special threat.
This guy is presumably just as out-of-control when a pedestrian, the bike is irrelevant.
If some guys rob a bank and arrive and make their getaway in a car, do the reports say ‘some motorists robbed a bank’?
(Edit – I admit you could argue the bike was peripherally involved as it started as a road-related argument)
Sounds like Hassell is rather
Sounds like Hassell is rather less of a cyclist and more like a junkie on his way to/from a hit, probably nicked the bike as well.
I want Mr Timothy Harrington
I want Mr Timothy Harrington to be my prosecuting lawyer if, god forbid, I’m on the receiving end of a car v bike altercation.
Christ I no way condone this
Christ I no way condone this cyclists actions but for crying out loud what did Gary McCourt get for Killing a Second Cyclist? A 5 year ban and 300 hours community service. You do really do get less for killing a cyclist, its almost like were fair game, Even the Justice system hates cyclists.
With such a discrepancy in
With such a discrepancy in sentencing between drivers who kill cyclists and one cyclist who wields a knife at a driver who has no doubt driven like a dick, almost wants to make you take a few with you like this idiot, not least the moton who has just tried to kill you. Motons don’t like it up ’em, but they are more than happy to run us over and take the risk of actually being caught and if so a fine or a short driving ban.
The guy obviously crossed the
The guy obviously crossed the red-mist line, but then the driver actually got out of his car to confront him? Isn’t that a little crazy too? I know what I’d be doing in the drivers place – doors locked, camera on.
We have the same problem with
We have the same problem with the drivers in Bulgaria and it’s absolutely true that they never get punished for injuring cyclists. So this guy has reacted this way for a reason. RESPECT!
the bloke is clearly an
the bloke is clearly an idiot. shouldnt have threated him with a knife, he should have just jump in the nearest car and drove it at him…apparently that is acceptable.
Who carries a stanley knife
Who carries a stanley knife and a lock knife, nutter.
So he stops the car, pulls
So he stops the car, pulls out a craft knife, then a lock knife and also threatens members of the public!
Maximum sentence for just carrying a knife without good reason is 4 years plus a £5000 fine.
This person got off very lightly.
Errr ………. it was the cyclist
Errr ………. it was the cyclist who had the blades not the car driver. Fail.
Kick their car? Ok fine, if
Kick their car? Ok fine, if you like that sort of thing.
Carry an offensive weapon? Don’t bother!
Are the commenters comparing
Are the commenters comparing this guy to drivers who have killed cyclists being serious?
One is clearly a nutcase (he was carrying 2 blades, FFS!) who had the clear intent of maliciously wounding someone who had likely driven (and behaved) like a complete numbskull. That a death didn’t occur is quite possibly just down to the driver being a bit handy with his fists. This is nothing short of road rage combined with the pre-meditation to be carrying not one but 2 deadly weapons.
The other is (by and large, clearly there are exceptions) generally an inconsiderate driver who whose complacency at the wheel leads them to think it’s ok to call/text/close pass etc and who doesn’t consider the safety of others. They often leave the scene and/or pass the blame even after killing someone, such is their level of selfishness.
I’d say both got off lightly, but intent is key here.
notfastenough wrote:Are the
Oh well thats ok then, to kill another human through “inconcideration”………… I mean much better to be killed by an idiotic moron with 2 tonnes+ of metal than an idiotic moron with a bit of metal………..
i hate the way we are all
i hate the way we are all labelled as either car drivers, cyclists etc
anyone willing to carry a knife for the intent of using it as a weapon should be locked up for a lot longer than 8 months – 5 year minimum would soon make people think about.
Knifists need to put their
Knifists need to put their house in order. Guys like this give responsible knife-users a bad name.
Pointless trying to compare
Pointless trying to compare sentences without knowing the antecedents and any previous convictions of each offender.