Upavon man jailed for deliberately driving car at another man
Police say 21 year Jake Johnson-Atcherley is an 'extremely violent offender'
An Upavon man's been jailed for 16 years for deliberately driving his car at a man, leaving him with critical injuries.
21 year old Jake Johnson-Atcherley from Watson Close ran over his victim in Devizes last July.
He was left with a broken spine, fractured arms and legs and a large cut to his head.
It followed an altercation with a woman walking her dog, with Johnson-Atcherley's car hitting her partner, knocking him into the air and landing on the ground.
There were three passengers in the car when the incident happened - driving away with a smashed windscreen and leaving the victim to get first aid from members of the public.
The victim was airlifted to Southmead Hospital in Bristol where he was stabilised, but he continues to recover and is working hard with his ongoing rehabilitation.
Johnson-Atcherley hid at a friend’s house overnight after the incident but was arrested and charged the following day.
He's been sentenced today (Thursday 22nd June) at Winchester Crown Court - being handed a 16 year sentence for causing grievous bodily harm.
Further crimes committed
This incident happened while Johnson-Atcherley was also being investigated for an assault in Devizes, in which he punched a man several times in the face.
He wrongly believed the victim had insulted a friend of his - with the victim suffering a severe break to his jaw and a dislocated arm.
In March this year, Johnson-Atcherley also arranged to meet a friend in Marlborough where he enticed him out of sight of CCTV cameras and punched him repeatedly to the face over a £20 debt.
He's also been sentenced today to eight months for assault causing grievous bodily harm, in relation to the Devizes assault, and four months for assault causing actual bodily harm for the Marlborough incident.
Those terms will run concurrently.
Detective Constable Simon Rogers from Wiltshire Police said:
“Johnson-Atcherley is an extremely violent offender who has shown absolutely no remorse for his actions. In deliberately driving his vehicle at his victim, he left him with life changing injuries. The victim has shown incredible braveness and determination to initially survive the attack and to continue with his rehabilitation, nearly a year on from the incident.
“In the moments immediately after this incident, several members of the public were quick to provide the man with first aid in the most traumatic of circumstances until paramedics arrived on scene and he was airlifted to hospital. Their quick-thinking inevitably saved his life.
“All three of these incidents were incredibly frightening for the victims and I would like to thank them, and the witnesses, for their support with our enquiries to speak up and ensure this violent offender could be put before the courts.”
A second man involved in the Devizes assault – Eddy Hitchcox, 21, previously of Pans Lane, Devizes – has been sentenced to a two year community order, 45 days rehabilitation, 150 hours of unpaid work and charged £1,000 to pay to his victim after pleading guilty for his involvement.