JUSTICE HAS BEEN SERVED
THUG WHO BEAT LEICESTER CABBIE TO WITHIN INCH OF HIS LIFE JAILED FOR 10 YEARS 8 MONTHS
A "dangerous" attacker savagely stamped and kicked a cab driver, caus- ing a life-changing head injury after an all-night "bender" on booze and cocaine. The Leicester Mercury reports that Cal- lum McDermott was staggering in the middle of the road in Saffron Lane, Leicester at 6.40am, on Monday August 23. He then kicked a taxi and the 45-year- old driver approached him holding a fire extinguisher amid the tooting horns of impatient commuters. McDermott then attacked the driver, a married father of three, raining down 18 punches, kicks and stamps. He then walked away as the smaller man lay unconscious on the floor, but returned and stamped or kicked him six more times with 'full force'. Police were called after the incident, which was captured on CCTV. McDermott then claimed he didn't know why they were there and attacked three officers, breaking the nose of one officer in four places and injuring his eye. Leicester Crown Court heard McDer- mott was then sprayed with an incapacitant and taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary where he made racist comments to staff who were trying to treat him. It was unclear whether the taxi driver would survive the attack for two weeks. His distraught wife spent every hour by his bedside and believes her husband's 'thinking abilities may be permanently damaged'.
He has also been left with poor balance and struggles to walk at times. They are now living under threat of los- ing their home and they have had to rely on a food bank to feed their family. The victim, who was once described as a 'calm man' now gets angry and frus- trated and has said several time that he feels he would have been better off dead.
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McDermott began arguing with the judge during sen- tencing and was ordered he leave the dock and wait in the court cells, without hearing in open court how long he would have to stay in prison. His solicitor/advo- cate, Helen Johnson, told the
Judge Timothy Spencer QC told 33- year-old McDermott: "It's a dreadful, dreadful picture and a dreadful, dread- ful story. " The judge added the impact on the injured officer, who suffered facial frac- tures, was significant and caused extreme distress to his son. McDermott originally stood trial, charged with attempted murder, but was found not guilty. He pleaded guilty to an alternative count of intentionally inflicting grievous bodily harm to the taxi driver. He also admitted causing actual bodily harm to a police officer and assaulting two emergency workers, by kicking two constables, as well as racially aggravated threatening behaviour at hospital and a police station. McDermott was said to have suffered from a traumatic childhood and suf- fers from PTSD. In the weeks leading up to the incident he was admitted several times to Leicester's Bradgate psychiatric unit, where he caused wan- ton damage during hostile and manic outbursts, one leading to his arrest. He was discharged from the unit on August 2.
On the night before the attack, he vis- ited a cousin in Ashby-de-la-Zouch for a "bender" on alcohol and drugs. It is unknown how he ended up in the Saf- fron Lane area of Leicester by 6.40am the next day.
court: "He didn't get the treatment he needed from the Bradgate Unit and was released in a poor state of health. His mental health was very bad at the time of this incident. "Whilst in custody (on remand), he's been receiving the treatment he needs, with long term psychological interven- tion and medication. He's now getting the help he's been asking for from the age of 13." The judge said he accepted the defen- dant was remorseful for his actions. McDermott was jailed for ten years and eight months - of which he will serve two thirds. He was given an additional five year licence extension, as the judge said he was a "dangerous" offender, with a substantial risk of future harm to the public. The judge publicly commended three members of the public, two men and a woman, who "bravely" tried to inter- vene at the scene and awarded them £300 each from public funds. Afterwards, Leicestershire Police issued a statement. The Investigating officer, DC Berni Smith, said: “This was a horrif- ic attack on a man in a public place, in front of a number of members of the public. Many were left extremely dis- tressed by what they had witnessed. "Fortunately, the victim survived the attack, although he is still receiving ongoing medical treatment and life for him will never be the same."
JULY 2022
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