Axe-wielding man savagely gave his friend a ‘good hiding’ over a missing mountain bike
37-YEAR-OLD REPEATEDLY PUNCHED AND STAMPED ON VICTIM IN BEATING
A Hot-headed troublemaker angrily kicked down the door of a house and broke in wielding an axe before storming upstairs and brutally giving a “good hiding” to a friend he blamed for his mountain bike going missing.
The revenge beating involved repeated punching and stamping on the man that he suspected wasinvolved in the mystery disappearance of his bike that had been left outside against a fence.
The intruder went “mob-handed” into the house after recruiting another man and his girlfriend to the frightening vigilante return visit, Hull Crown Court heard.
Riki Beech, 37, of Hull, admitted burglary and assault causing actual bodily harm on November 22.
Sean Thompson, 36, and Lauren Withers, 24, both of Ernests Avenue, Hull, admitted affray.
Michele Stuart-lofthouse, prosecuting, said Beech went to a house in Ernests Avenue and left his mountain bike against a fence outside while he socialised and listened to music with a male friend inside.
The bike went missing and Beech sent a message to a woman living there asking where it was.
She replied that it was in the garden but Beech returned, making threats that the windows would go through unless he got it back. He threatened those inside.
The door was kicked in and Beech went upstairs while holding an axe and punched his male friend repeatedly to the head after believing that he was involved in the bike going missing. He stamped repeatedly on the man’s face.
Thompson, who lived in the same street, was on the scene, holding a screwdriver. His girlfriend, Withers, was also there.
Beech went downstairs and grabbed a 55in flat-screen TV, helped by Withers, who grabbed hold of it.
Beech said he would keep it unless he was paid £150 or the bike was returned.
The woman later said: “This made me feel vulnerable and scared. It’s not something you expect, someone coming into your home with an axe.
“You should feel safe in your home. He wasn’t invited and he had no right to damage property.”
Beech had a long record of previous convictions, including burglary in 2004 and 2014.
Thompson had convictions for 65 previous offences, including being jailed in 2008 for two-and-a-half years for causing grievous bodily harm. He had other convictions for assault, possessing a knife, aggravated vehicle taking, harassment and dishonesty.
Withers had no previous convictions.
John Dunning, mitigating, said
Beech and the other man had originally been friends and were drinking. Beech’s bike had gone missing and he believed that it had something to do with the friend.
“He went back and behaved in a totally excessive and inappropriate way,” said Mr Dunning.
Beech went upstairs and found the man before assaulting him and taking the TV on the way out. Other people were involved in the theft.
“It’s clearly very serious to break into someone’s house, go upstairs and give the resident a good hiding,” said Mr Dunning.
Christopher Haddock, representing Thompson, said the defendant had been in custody since November 24. He had a screwdriver with him but there was no indication that he used it in any way.
Steven Garth, representing Withers, said she has spent three-and-a-half months in custody after twice failing to attend earlier hearings.
“A lesson has been learned,” said Mr Garth.
Judge John Thackray QC told Beech concerning the axe incident: “Your victims must have been
terrified at the
Your victims must have been terrified at the sight of you wielding such an object. Your victims were entitled to feel safe and secure in their own home, whatever had happened to your bike or whatever you believed had happened to your bike Judge John Thackray QC
sight of you wielding such an object.
“Your victims were entitled to feel safe and secure in their own home, whatever had happened to your bike or whatever you believed had happened to your bike.
“You made threats of what you were going to do and that you were going to go round there mob-handed and that’s exactly what you did.”
Beech was jailed for four-anda-half years. Thompson was given an 18-month suspended prison
sentence and Withers a nine-month suspended sentence.
The axe will be forfeited and destroyed.