Stepfather was the 'cool head' burning blood-stained clothes after violent clash near Dudley
The men were arrested after fighting between two groups armed with an imitation gun, a machete and wheel tool in Brierley Hill four years ago.
A man who acted with a “cool head” has been jailed for helping to dispose of blood-stained clothing after violence broke out between two groups in a street near Dudley.
Kieron Banner, aged 32, was sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Friday for admitting an offence of perverting the course of justice relating to serious disorder, in Hawbush Road, Brierley Hill, on June 27, 2022. During the clash which happened at about 7pm and was captured on CCTV a 17-year-old male suffered serious stab wounds to the abdomen, but survived.
Among those at the scene was Leon Hickman, aged 23, who fired a BB gun towards the other group, and Tyler Chapman, aged 22, who was described as Banner’s stepson recorded the retreating rival group on his mobile phone.
Chapman and Hickman were also caught on film heading to an address where Chapman’s changed his clothes and the blood-stained items were placed in a drum in the back garden and set alight in an attempt to frustrate the West Midlands Police investigation that followed. Judge Simon Ward said Banner organised the burning of the items and was the “cool head” when the others who were teenagers at the time came to him for help.
The court heard that all three along and a woman remained in the garden until the clothes were destroyed then the drum was thrown over a fence.
Judge Ward said: “The offence of perverting the course of justice is a serious offence and always brings people to the crown court because the charge is too serious for the magistrates to deal with. You were trying to interfere with the police investigation regarding a serious matter.
“Such actions undermines the justice system. If this happens we will end up with a lawless society where people do what they want. They would commit crime and hide them from the police. In your case I have come to the firm conclusion that it crosses the custody threshold.”
In mitigation the court heard that Chapman, who was 19, at the time handed himself in at the police station.
For admitting perverting the course of justice Chapman, of Waterfront West, was sentenced to a six-month prison term suspended for 12 months. He must attend 25 activity days and pay the victims' surcharge. For the offence Banner, who is serving a nine-year jail term for rape and intentional strangulation relating to a different case, was jailed for seven months to run concurrently.
Hickman, of Addison Road, Brierley Hill, was convicted of possession of the BB gun and perverting the course of justice relation to the incident. He was jailed for nine months to run consecutively to a separate sentence given at Wolverhampton on June 5 for “bigging it up” in possession of prohibited firearms, possession ammunition with out a certificate, and being concerned in the supply of cocaine and cocaine and cannabis.