Father and son jailed for attacking man with a machete in Surrey
Police say the victim could have easily been killed
A father and son from Surrey have been sentenced to four a half years in prison after they attacked a man with a machete and a baseball bat.
23 year old Alfie Chambers and 45 year old Alfred Chambers both pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon.
The court heard how Alfie Chambers went to the Sainsburys Local store in Cobham High Street around 10.40pm on Friday 27 October 2023 and became involved in a verbal argument with another man whom he’d never met. The argument became heated and staff from the store intervened. The two of them left the shop and Alfie then went to his car and produced a baseball bat which he used to threaten the victim.
The victim managed to get away in his vehicle but had to return to the store minutes later after realising he had forgotten his wallet. As the victim got back into his vehicle and was about to leave the store again, Alfie pulled up alongside him with his father Alfred.
Alfie was armed with a large machete and Alfred was brandishing a metal baseball bat, which he used to smash the victim’s driver side window. The victim escaped from his van and was chased by both men who then launched an unprovoked and prolonged attack on him, repeatedly striking him with their weapons with such force that he fell to the floor on several occasions.
The victim managed to get inside the Sainsburys where the attack continued while he was on the floor trying to protect himself. Alfie and Alfred eventually fled the scene.
As efforts to arrest them intensified, both men went on the run to Devon, but ended up handing themselves in to Staines Police Station on 6 November, where they were both interviewed, charged and remanded into custody.
During his summing up at sentencing, Recorder Gallagher noted that a fatality could easily have occurred and that he was “not surprised” that the victim told police he could have died when he gave his statement. Recorder Gallagher also said the attack would have involved “an element of planning and organisation” and that it was entirely unprovoked, describing it as “cowardly”.
Detective Constable Daniel Bell, who investigated the case, said: “This was an incredibly violent attack on an unsuspecting victim who had done nothing more than have an argument with Alfie Chambers. The father and son’s response to this verbal altercation was completely disproportionate and it was fortunate the victim’s injuries were not more serious. Thankfully, he has recovered from his injuries although this will have a lasting impact on him in the future.
“This kind of violence has absolutely no place on the streets of Surrey and I hope this sentencing will make others think twice about using violence to mete out revenge.”