A FORMER soldier has been jailed for three and a half years for attacking a man with a table leg in Bradford city centre and discharging an imitation firearm in the street.
Jamie Turpin got the wrong man when he broke his victim’s wrist in the assault at a bus shelter in John Street on July 12 last year, Bradford Crown Court heard today.
Turpin, 34, of Bolton Hall Road, Bradford, stopped his Renault Clio and set about him with a long piece of wood, thought to be a table leg, prosecutor Tom Storey said.
He believed the innocent bystander had burgled his tattoo shop but he had nothing to do with the crime.
Turpin hit him several times, breaking his left wrist when he put up his arm to protect himself and continuing the attack when he had gone to the ground.
When told at the scene by the victim’s friends that he had the wrong man, Turpin apologised. The injured man said it was a bit late for that, Mr Storey told the court.
He was taken by taxi to Bradford Royal Infirmary where a cast was put on his broken wrist.
Turpin was arrested and told the police he thought the man had raided his shop. He added that the attack was “a moment of madness.”
He went on to commit an offence of possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence on April 27.
Turpin rang an ex-partner before 6am saying he was outside her father’s address with a shotgun.
She heard three shots being discharged and was terrified because Turpin was ex-army and had told her previously that he had killed people.
She pleaded with him to stop and rang her father to make sure he was all right.
The police arrived at Turpin’s home at 6.45am. He brandished a knife through a window and then produced a knuckle duster.
His Audi A3 was found abandoned in Shipley with a blank firing handgun in it.
He had taken cocaine and cannabis and drunk half a bottle of Jack Daniel’s whiskey before committing the offence.
He had five convictions for ten offences, including criminal damage and battery.
Turpin pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm and the imitation firearm offence.
His barrister, Gerald Hendron, said he had served his country for a prolonged period in the armed forces. After leaving the army, he was vulnerable and suffered mental health problems exacerbated by his use of cocaine.
He had been frank with the police and the probation service and it was hoped that he had learned his lesson after being held on remand in Leeds Prison. It was his first taste of custody, Mr Hendron said,
The Recorder of Bradford, Judge Richard Mansell QC, jailed Turpin for 18 months for the gbh and two years for the firearm offence, the sentences to run consecutively.
He made an indefinite restraining order to protect the woman and her father from him in the future.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article