March 24, 2020 12.33 pm This story is over 48 months old

Man jailed for violent hammer attack outside Lincoln Screwfix

He struck a former colleague over the head with a claw hammer
Jack Dickinson has been jailed. Photo: Lincolnshire Police

A man who struck a former work colleague over the head with a claw hammer outside a Lincoln DIY store has been jailed for five years.

Jack Dickinson, 31, aimed two blows to the head of Lee Bass after they met up by accident at Screwfix on Tritton Road in July 2018.

Passing sentence Judge Julie Warburton said there was “trouble” brewing between the two men over a work debt.

However, the judge told Lincoln Crown Court it was clear from CCTV and other evidence that it was Dickinson who started the violence after taking a claw hammer from the back of his own vehicle.

Dickinson, now of Stanford Road, Norbury, South London, was convicted of causing Mr Bass grievous bodily harm with intent and possessing an offensive weapon after a trial. He had denied the charges.

Judge Warburton told Dickinson the jury had rejected the suggestion he was acting in self defence during the incident on July 12, 2018.

She told him: “You hit Mr Bass twice to the head, although it is not clear if the first blow landed, and to his legs.”

The judge also reminded Dickinson of the evidence from one witness who said: “He hit him on the head with a horrible crack.”

The judge also made a restraining order preventing Dickinson from having any contact with Mr Bass for five years.

“All of this could have been avoided if you had got in your vehicle and simply driven away,” she added.

Barnaby Shaw, defending, told the court Dickinson had no relevant convictions and thankfully the injury to Mr Bass was not long lasting.

“He did not expect to see Mr Bass when he went in to Screwfix,” Mr Shaw said. “This is something that flared up from nowhere on that day.”

Mr Shaw said only one blow from the hammer appeared to strike Mr Bass with a glancing blow.

The court heard Dickinson was the lone carer for his nine-year-old daughter and legal guardianship would have to be passed to his sister while he was in prison.

“She is nine-years-old and clearly this will all have an effect on her,” Mr Shaw added.