Thug William Stone jailed for wheel brace attack
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by
Keith Hunt
A thug who launched a vicious
attack on a former friend by battering him over the head with a
wheelbrace has been jailed for four years.
Under the extended sentence for public
protection, William Stone will be on licence for a further two
years.
A judge said he was imposing the
punishment because there was a significant risk of further harm
being caused to the public.
Stone, 21, was subject to a suspended
sentence for a gun offence when he attacked John Vidler.
Maidstone Crown Court heard Stone was
in a car when he saw the victim in Lower Boxley Road, Maidstone, on
September 11 2010.
He stopped and went up to Mr Vidler
and struck him three times with the weapon - twice to the head and
once to the arm.
An off-duty police officer stopped the
assault. Mr Vidler was taken to hospital and treated for the
wounds.
The victim described the violence in a
statement as "vicious, nasty and unprovoked".
Stone, of Perch Close, Larkfield,
admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
John Blower, defending, said at an
earlier hearing Stone had been living an itinerant lifestyle
abusing drink and drugs. There had been ongoing problems with Mr
Vidler.
Stone’s girlfriend had been in the car
with him at the time of the attack. She was expecting his child in
April.
Mr Blower said it was a chance meeting
with Mr Vidler and the attack was random.
"He accepts he cannot behave the way
he did," he added. "He has moved on."
Judge Philip Statman said Stone caused
the victim ugly wounds in the unprovoked attack and it was "good
fortune indeed" he was not detained in hospital.
He was released the same night after
stitches were inserted. But he had indicated he had lost confidence
about going out on his own.
The judge said he was taking a
holistic approach by imposing a sentence that would allow the
authorities to monitor Stone in future.
He was satisfied, he said, the offence
did not call for a "draconian" sentence of being locked up
indefinitely.
Stone was given a suspended sentence
of just under a year in November 2009 for possessing an imitation
firearm and having a bladed article.
Thursday, February 23 2012
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