Darlington man jailed after attacking stepson with machete

Mark Kilpatrick will spend his 50th birthday on May 5 behind bars following the attack after a row at his wife’s Darlington home in January.

His stepson, 28-year-old Scott Bass, was left hospitalised with serious knife wounds which left him needing seven staples to the head, with a 9.5cm cut on his arm and the bone in his thumb exposed.

Read more: Victim of Darlington machete attack by stepdad speaks out

The pair had been discussing a long-running family dispute over the right to Scott’s mum, and Mark’s wife, Karolyn’s home on Shearwater Avenue in Darlington on January 29.

Attacker Mark Kilpatrick (Image: DURHAM POLICE)

A court heard the pair had been rowing over the inheritance before Kilpatrick went outside then returned from the garage armed with a 15-inch machete.

He then slashed his victim three times inflicting an 8.5cm cut in his head and 9.5cm cut down his arm.

Officers arrived at the scene a short time later and stemmed the bleeding while waiting for paramedics to arrive, before Scott was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital.

In police interviews Kilpatrick answered “no comment” to all questions.

Teesside Crown Court (Image: CHRIS BOOTH)

Appearing in the dock at Teesside Crown Court on Thursday (April 13) wearing a suit and flanked by one security officer he was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison.

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He previously pleaded guilty at the same court to one count of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and one count of threatening his victim with a blade.

A judge previously warned him a custodial sentence was inevitable and Kilpatrick brought a holdall with him to court.

In mitigation barrister Shada Mellor said the attack was “out of character” for Kilpatrick despite previous convictions dating back more than ten years, including assault.

Shearwater Avenue in Darlington on January 30, the morning after the attack. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

She said: “He is very remorseful for what occurred that day and very much wishes it had not happened because of what’s going to follow today’s hearing.”

The court heard Mark kept the machete as a “military artefact”.

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Sending him to jail Recorder of Middlesbrough Paul Watson QC told him: “These were extremely serious offences.

“You did, regardless of any provocation from [Scott] take a knife to him.

“Nothing he said or did could possibly justify you taking the highly dangerous option of attacking him.”