Three men jailed after violent attacks on bin workers in Stoke-on-Trent
Three men have been sentenced to a collective of more than 18 years after an attack on a number of refuse collectors in Stoke-on-Trent.
Joe Cordon, 29, of Burslem, Jack Spackman, 25, of Bentilee and Kyle Worthington, 21, of Abbey Hulton, have been sentenced for violence offences at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court this afternoon (Thursday 10 April).
A teenage boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was also involved. He pleaded to conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm, possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and criminal damage and was given a youth rehabilitation order for three years.
The first attack happened at 11:15am on 21 March 2023 on Fairhaven Grove in Birches Head when a Vauxhall Corsa drove in front of the bin lorry, causing it to stop abruptly.
The driver, Cordon, approached the lorry and punched the driver three times through the window before removing a lollypop sign from the boot of the car and hitting the bin lorry with it. The victim was taken to hospital with head, facial and foot injuries.
Half an hour later at 11:45am, on Birches Head Road, the same car pulled up on a different bin lorry with the men getting out. Cordon was this time carrying an axe, Spackman a sledgehammer and Worthington a firearm.
Cordon smashed the driver's window with the axe and struck all three refuse workers with it.
Meanwhile, Spackman hit the lorry with the sledgehammer, smashing the windows.
Worthington then discharged a firearm at the bin lorry before all of the men got back into the Corsa and Cordon drove off.
One of the refuse collectors was taken to hospital with facial, head and leg injuries, the second had a head injury and the third had head and leg injuries.
The Corsa was located by officers from Staffordshire Police in Kidsgrove shortly after the incident and a sledgehammer was found inside.
Cordon was arrested in Suffolk on the afternoon of 24 March 2023 and was today sentenced to six years and eight months imprisonment.
He pleaded guilty to Section 18 - wounding with intent, two counts of assault a person thereby occasioning them actual bodily harm, two counts of criminal damage, drive a motor vehicle otherwise in accordance with a licence and use a motor vehicle on a road without third party insurance.
Worthington was sentenced to six years in jail. He pleaded guilty to conspire to cause grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
Spackman was sentenced to five years and six months imprisonment. He admitted two counts of conspire to cause grievous bodily harm with intent, possess an offensive weapon in a public place and criminal damage.
The teenager was ordered to complete 240 hours unpaid work, a curfew and electronic monitoring as part of his rehabilitation order.
Detective Inspector Andy Bryan said: "This was two unprovoked attacks on refuse collectors who were simply doing their jobs.
"Both incidents happened in the daytime while local residents were present in the streets.
"It is more luck than judgement that the injuries sustained by the refuse collectors.
"I am pleased all four defendants admitted their involvement in the attack."
Stoke-on-Trent City Council leader Jane Ashworth said: "These were shocking and completely unprovoked attacks on hard-working crews.
"We are thankful justice has been served.
"We hope today's sentencing will bring some comfort to the victims and their families and send a clear message: we will not tolerate violence or abuse against our staff in any circumstances."
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