Hartlepool couple jailed for ‘revenge’ knife attack

Joshua Walker has been told he was lucky not to face any major charges after he was found guilty of intentional assault after stabbing the man in the head.

His partner Bethany Howard was found to have passed the knife to the 27-year-old when he crashed into his victim near Stranton Primary School in Hartlepool in May last year.

Teesside Crown Court heard the violent altercation being captured on video cameras showing the couple chasing the man down the street after an initial clash occurred near Southburn Terrace and Moyne Gardens.

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Prosecutor Sam Faulks said the “revenge attack” inflicted a two-centimetre laceration on the victim’s face, which resulted in a percussion injury to the bone in his temple.

The court heard Walker lash out at his arrest, racially slurring at one of the officers as he was being taken to the police station.

Joshua Walker (Image: Cleveland Police Department)

The 27-year-old, from Grange Road, Hartlepool, was found guilty of intentional assault, racial assault and possession of an object with a blade.

Uzma Khan mitigated that her client’s mental health improved during his pre-trial detention as he did not receive proper treatment for his ADHD.

She added: “This was not a premeditated attack; It wasn’t like he went looking for him – it was a chance encounter.”

Howard, of Charterhouse Street, Hartlepool, was found guilty of possession of a bladed object and assault under Section 20.

Bethany Howard (Image: Cleveland Police Department)

Shaun Dryden mitigated that the 30-year-old has had her license revoked for her latest misdemeanor after being sentenced to six years in prison for robbery in 2018 – which expired today (May 15).

He added: “She has managed to make good use of her time in detention through a range of courses. Now that she’s settled in and is off drugs, she’s doing quite well.”

Judge Tony Brown said they were lucky not to face more serious charges after their victim was stabbed in the face.

Turning to Walker, he added, “It’s just luck you hit his temple; About two centimeters lower, the injury could have been much worse.

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“I looked at the CCTV footage. Maybe he was ready for a confrontation at first, but you followed him down the street, cornered him, and then stabbed him.

“They had the opportunity to avoid the incident, but they didn’t.”

Walker was sentenced to six years in prison and a three-fold prison sentence after his release.

And in dealing with Howard, the judge jailed her for 27 months for her role in the violence.