Tradesman who broke worker's nose at Leeds house avoids custody over puzzling court delay

Adam Kaye got on top of the stricken man and punched him as they both worked at a property on Carr Manor Road, Chapel Allerton, in 2018, Leeds Crown Court heard this week.

Prosecutor Marte Alnaes said the victim had won the contract to work on the property and he noticed there was “friction” between him and Kaye.

On July 11, 2018, the victim had been at the house working with his son when Kaye turned up at around 2pm and a physical altercation broke out, but Kaye was “chased from the garden”. He then later turned up again with other people in tow.

He punched the victim then got on top of him, continuing the attack. The man suffered a broken nose, a cut behind his ear and bruises and scratches.

Kay, of Kirkwood Avenue, Cookridge, attended a voluntary interview with police in January 2019 and denied starting it, claiming he was the victim. He later admitted one count of actual bodily harm. The court was told he had two previous convictions including wounding.

Mitigating on his behalf, Ayesha Smart said the 39-year-old had remained out of trouble since then, but the judge, Recorder Tony Hawks said he would not send him directly to jail because of the length of time it had taken to reach court.

Recorder Hawks asked why the matter had taken five years to come to court, but no explanation was provided.

He told Kaye: “It was a thoroughly unpleasant incident. If you had been dealt with in a timely fashion, I suspect you would have gone to prison. You are perhaps a lucky man. You broke his nose. I’m sure there are two sides to every story, there always is, but you ended up inflicting injuries on this man.

“You have a previous conviction for violence, you were sent to prison in 2011 for wounding somebody.”

He gave him 15 months’ jail, suspended for 12 months and gave him 10 rehabilitation days, meaning he must work with probation.