Face of funfair business heir set to take over firm before jailing for driving at colleague
This is the heir to a fun fair business who drove his Range Rover at a colleague after they fell out, and has been described as a 'respected member of the community.'
Harry Jones Junior left Daniel Tulley with life-changing injuries when he drove his car at him in Clayhanger Road, Brownhills, on November 4 2019. His father and two other men were in the car at the time.
The 31-year-old from Cradley Heath was jailed for 10 years at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Friday, July 21, after being convicted of section 18 assault and causing grievous bodily harm at an earlier trial.
His father was in the car along with two other men – Jones Junior worked and helped run the family's Wolverhampton-based Harry Jones Fun Fair, a 125-year-old firm that operates all over the country.
At his sentencing on Friday, members of Jones' extended family packed the court and surrounding corridors in support.
Harry Jones Fun Fair has become a familiar fixture in Wolverhampton's West Park. It has operated the successful big wheel in Dudley in 2016 and supplied equipment for many fun and charity days across the West Midlands and further afield.
The court heard that over 100 character references had been received on behalf of Jones Junior and that he was a respected and loved member of the community who mixed with teachers, politicians, business leaders and professionals.
Gary Bell KC defending Jones said: "He has led a good life and has raised a lot of money for children's cancer and other charities, he has helped rescue someone from a fire and has helped people who otherwise struggle.
"He has an even temper generally but accepts he has done wrong, he is sorry for the injuries caused and the distress to his family and is ready to pay the full price."
The court heard Jones had recently married and become a father and he was set to take over running the fairground business very soon but that would have to be postponed and Harry Jones Senior would now continue after he had planned retirement.
During the hearing, the court heard how Jones drove round to Mr Tulley’s partner’s house in Bloxwich looking for him after they fell out, with Facebook and text messages talking of meeting up for a fight being exchanged.
Mr Tulley's partner said Jones was ‘red in the face’ and that it was clear something bad was going to happen.
Rupert Jones, prosecuting said: "He was abusive and angry and when she refused to co-operate, he said he would put her in the boot of his car so she could show him where Mr Tulley was.
“He also contacted her mother in a bid to locate him and finally obtained his location, eventually driving to Brownhills where he saw him at the side of the road.“Witnesses described him as driving on the wrong side of the road at speed and he ploughed into Mr Tulley, who was described as sticking to the car like Velcro. The car travelled some distance before coming to a stop.”
“Mr Tulley was in intensive care for a month until just before Christmas 2019 and has required long term in patient treatment.”
A witness statement from Ms Joynes said since the attack Mr Tulley had become "paranoid, affected by noise and large groups, displays childlike moods and has lost his sense of taste and smell".
At the original trial in October last year, Jones had denied all charges and being the driver of the car.
Judge Rhona Campbell said she was minded to sentence on the lower end of the scale for the offence due to his contribution to society and the fact it was out of character based on his record. But she said: “There is no doubt though that through your actions you left a man you knew and worked with, with life-changing injuries and he would never be the same person again.”
