Father-and-son duo armed with metal bars jailed for 'cowardly' revenge attack at Wakefield caravan site

Offey Smith Senior and Offey Smith Junior, both of Boundary Lane, Wakefield, were jailed at Leeds Crown Court after being found guilty on charges of section 18 grievous bodily harm. Mr Smith Junior, 33, was also found guilty of attempts to pervert the course of justice.

Prosecutor Brian Walker, told the court how on November 14, 2022, Mr Smith Junior attended the property of Felix Cunningham, located in Warmfield, where he and his sons lived in separate caravans, when he was approached by James Connors, who asked the defendant for a cigarette.

The court heard, how rather than politely declining, Mr Smith Junior was “unpleasant” to Mr Connors and that the disagreement soon turned physical - with Mr Smith Junior attempting to “bite his ear” after being punched hard in the face. Mr Connors also attempted to throw a brick at Mr Smith Junior.

Leaving the yard in a temper, Mr Smith Junior returned soon after with his father, Offey Smith Senior, 54, and another male, armed with two metal bars - one of which was described as having a “blade at the end.” The trio then chased Mr Connors down a dirt track, “pulled him to the ground” and struck him repeatedly in a “sustained attack.”

Mr Connors was hospitalised for 12 days in the wake of the attack with four fractures - two to his right arm, one to his hand and one to his leg. A three to four centimetre wound was also caused to his leg, as well as bruising to his arms. Paramedics were described as being forced to “cut his bloody clothes” off his body.

Judge Kate Rayfield said that Mr Smith Junior had returned to “enact his revenge,” for having been left “humiliated” by the earlier defeat, while Mr Smith Senior had become involved due to a sense of “misguided family loyalty.” Mr Smith Junior later returned to try and convince a neighbour to not hand over their CCTV footage to the police.

Mitigating for Mr Smith Junior, Mr Firm told the court, that his client was “not in any way a violent man” and that his actions were an out of character departure from an “otherwise responsible and non-violent life in the community.” A father-of-five, Mr Smith Junior was described as an “industrious man, supporting his family.”

Mitigating for Mr Smith Senior, Mr Walker, accepted that while the incident was “cowardly, ugly violence,” that his client’s actions were “entirely out of character” and explained that he was the primary carer for his wife, who was in ill health, and their 21-year-old daughter.

Mr Smith Senior became visibly emotional as the court heard how his daughter, who was described as likely not having long to live, suffered from the same genetic disorder that caused the death of his 17-year-old son John.

Concluding the case, Judge Rayfield said that while she had found the pair to both be “very respectful” and understood their “difficult” family circumstances, this was no comfort to Mr Connors who she described as a “slight and vulnerable man,” who it was clear Mr Smith Junior “looked down upon” and “had no respect for.”

Judge Rayfield detailed how following their attack, the trio had flagged down Felix Cunningham to tell him that they had killed his son and left him in the field. Showcasing their “lack of remorse” as they either believed they had killed him showcasing the “ferocity of the attack,” or “took pleasure in pretending they had” to his father.

Mr Smith Junior was sentenced to six years in prison for the section18 grievous bodily harm and six months for perverting course of justice, to be served consecutively. Mr Smith Senior was sentenced to five and half years behind bars for section 18 grievous bodily harm.

The pair were also handed a restraining order, preventing them from having any contact, either directly or indirectly, with Mr Connors.