Man spared jail over Bestwood Country Park axe assault

A man who knocked a biker off his vehicle after hitting him with an axe has been handed a suspended sentence.

A 20-year-old needed stitches to a head wound after being hit in Bestwood Country Park on 29 May.

Nottingham Crown Court heard Graham Timlick had also threatened a biker with a weapon in August last year.

The 67-year-old, of Cairngorm Drive in Arnold, admitted affray, grievous bodily harm and possessing an offensive weapon.

Sentencing, Judge Julie Warburton said Timlick had avoided immediate custody "by a whisker", but praised "positive steps" he had made to address his behaviour.

The court heard Timlick had lived in a property with a garden backing on to the park with his wife for 30 years, but had developed "an obsession" with loud bikes and other antisocial behaviour.

He had made dozens of calls to police to report disturbances, while previous efforts to speak to bikers had resulted in threats to the defendant and a neighbour was also threatened when trying to collect video evidence.

On 13 August, 2019 he put on a balaclava and waved an axe at a young person riding near his house, and in May this year in a similar incident he confronted another rider who was waiting for his friends.

The court heard Timlick hit him twice with the flat side of the axe, leaving him "dizzy".

The victim was taken to hospital, where he received nine stitches for a head wound.

After being arrested over the latter incident the following month, the court heard Timlick broke down in tears during the police interview and also admitted being involved in the previous confrontation.

He said he had not meant to hit the rider and was targeting the bike, which was scrapped as a result of the damage.

Defending, David Outterside said Timlick and his wife had been hoping to enjoy retirement "relaxing in their garden", which repeated antisocial behaviour - including vandalised fences, litter and "the sound of pit bikes riding at speed close to their property" - had prevented.

The bikers "knew they shouldn't be doing this" and despite reports to the police "nothing happened", which allied to caring for his ill wife and being in lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic had "a serious effect" on the defendant.

Mr Outterside said Timlick is "totally ashamed by these incidents", adding he and his wife have swapped houses with their son so they are away from the park.

As well as the 20-month sentence, which is suspended for two years, Timlick must also pay £1,000 compensation to the biker and complete 180 hours of unpaid work.

An order was also made to destroy the axe.

Acknowledging the defendant had previously "felt powerless" over repeated incidents, the judge said this had "become an obsession", culminating in a "terrifying" assault.

"That did not give you the right to take matters into your own hands," she said.

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