Parent wielded weapon during attack in Leeds primary school car park at pick-up time
A furious parent tried to attack another in the car park of a school as children were being picked up, a court heard.
Andrew Fairclough, who was wielding either a baseball bat or a hammer, was attempting to get at the man in his car, before the headteacher intervened.
Fairclough was brought before Leeds Crown Court this week but was spared jail, even though he was on a suspended sentence for drug dealing.
Just after 3pm on November 6 last year, Fairclough’s arrived at the primary school when his partner called him to say she had been assaulted while attending the school.
Fairclough drove “erratically” into the car park and got out with either the bat or hammer.
The court heard there conflicting reports that the 31-year-old struck the victim’s car with the weapon while the man was sat inside.
Another person said the weapon was taken off him before he reached the car.
However, he began shouting and swearing at the man to get out, tried to open the door, punched the driver’s side window and headbutted it with such force, witnesses said they were surprised it did not smash.
Parents were busy collecting their children at the time. The headteacher intervened and Fairclough turned on him.
Fairclough, of Hollin Park Mount, Roundhay, was removed from the scene by his partner. He was arrested the next day, but gave a no-comment interview to police.
He admitted using threatening words or behaviour and common assault.
He has seven previous convictions for 11 offences, including ABH. He was last in court in 2025 for being concerned in the supply of Class B drugs.
He had been given an 18-month suspended sentence and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.
Mitigating, Richard Canning said Fairclough ran his own business and on that day he was simply reacting to his wife being allegedly assaulted.
He said Fairclough regretted his behaviour that day.
The judge, Recorder Andrew Haslam KC said there was “no excuse”.
But rather than activate his suspended sentence, he said he would allow it continue and added 150 hours of unpaid work to complete, as well as pay court costs.
He warned him: “It’s unlikely you will get a second chance.”