Dad ‘hunted down’ and struck with baseball bat hit attacker over head with hammer

A father-of-three who was struck with a baseball bat and then punched and kicked outside his own house turned on his attacker and hit him over the head with a hammer.

Allan Jackson was attacked outside his own home in the village of Billinghay after two men turned up in a BMW car.

James Bide-Thomas, prosecuting, said that Jackson was told that Ryan Clark and another man were heading for his home and was overheard by a witness to say “They’re coming round. I’m tooling up”.

Mr Bide-Thomas said “When Ryan Clark and another man arrived in a BMW they are described as having baseball bats.

“A fight ensued. Jackson appears to have been struck several times with a baseball bat by both the men and punched a number of times to the face.

“He was seen to have his back up against the wall of his own property and was then on the ground it what appeared to be a head-lock. He was kicked a number of times by Clark.

“Eventually Jackson managed to get free and it appears Clark and the other man were heading towards the BMW.

“Jackson at that point picked up a hammer. He came up behind Clark and hit him to the back of the head with the hammer.

“Clark collapsed on the ground and Jackson kicked him while he was on the ground.

“Clark was assisted into the BMW. Jackson then smashed two of the windows before it drove off.”

Jackson, 25, of Cornfield Way, Billinghay, admitted a charge of affray as a result of the incident on June 8, 2016.

He was given a six month jail sentence suspended for a year with a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 10 days.

Judge Michael Heath, passing sentence, told him: “Ordinarily this would require an immediate custodial sentence of some length but there are exceptional circumstances.

“You were at your home when you were attacked by two men who had come to your address.

“In my judgement you were more sinned against than sinning.”

Gareth Gimson, in mitigation, said that Jackson was a family man of previous good character.

He described Jackson as having been “hunted down” by the two men who earlier in the day had been knocking on doors in his street looking for him.

Mr Gimson said that Jackson had been suffering from an anxiety disorder and urged that he be given a suspended jail sentence rather than be sent immediately to prison.

Clark, 27, of Uffington Avenue, Lincoln, was also due to be sentenced for his part in the affray but failed to appear and a bench warrant without bail was issued for his arrest.