A man who carried out a road-rage-type attack leaving two victims with deep lacerations to their heads is starting a seven-year prison sentence.

The violence arose after a collision between two vehicles on Seaside Lane, Easington Colliery, at about 9.30pm on February 8 this year.

It led to a fight developing on nearby Station Road where defendant Kent Wallace had armed himself with a shovel handle.

Durham Crown Court heard he used it to strike his first victim, a man in his 30s, several times, causing deep cuts which required hospital treatment.

(Image: Durham Constabulary)

When the other man, who is in his 50s, tried to intervene, he, too, was assaulted with the same weapon, suffering deep cuts to his face and head.

Although Wallace then fled the scene, he was eventually arrested following extensive reviews of CCTV in the area, and with the help of forensic evidence.

While admitting involvement in the incident, 33-year-old Wallace, of no fixed abode, denied wounding the two men with intent.

He, did, however, admit further counts of affray and possessing an offensive weapon.

On the fourth day of his trial he was convicted on both counts of wounding with intent by the jury earlier this week and appeared back at court for sentence via video link from nearby HMP Durham.

Chris Baker, prosecuting, told the sentencing hearing that the defendant has 11 convictions for 41 past offences, between 2016 and last year, including cases of assault, while he also has cautions for affray and possessing a bladed article.

(Image: Durham Constabulary)

Mr Baker said one of Wallace’s victims spent almost 20 hours in hospital being treated for his wounds, but later suffered an infection for which he struggled to contain the pain.

It led to him being readmitted to hospital to have surgical staples removed from the wound.

The other victim also suffered an infection to his wound and had to return to hospital for further treatment.

He said he is now apprehensive going out on the street and he is also on medication for stress.

Mr Baker said that victim suffers with shakes and headaches, often waking up at night in pain, and is considering seeking counselling.

In summary, Mr Baker said there was a level of pre-meditation to the violence as the defendant armed himself with the shovel handle and sought out the first victim.

Mr Baker said one of the men was vulnerable and on the floor when attacked to the back of the head, with the other looking in completely the wrong direction, wandering back to his house and with his hands behind his head when struck further blows.

(Image: The Northern Echo)

Calum McNicholas, for Wallace, said in light of the outcome of the trial he would keep his submissions brief.

“Mr Wallace, to his credit, did accept he acted unlawfully from the outset and contested the case over a narrow issue, reducing the scale of the trial, with no necessity for civilian witnesses to give evidence.”

Mr McNicholas added that all the offences arose out of the same incident.

Judge Jo Kidd told Wallace that although regularly before the courts he was, “not someone with a serious pattern for violent offending.”

She said she would also take into account the defendant’s guilty pleas to the two other counts of affray and possessing an offensive weapon.

But, relating to the two principal offences, she told Wallace: “Anyone deliberately targeting the head area or anybody with a weapon has to take the consequences of that decision in their own hands.

“It’s lucky for you, given the number of blows struck to both men to the head area, that more serious injuries did not follow.”

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She imposed consecutive sentences of four and three years and the defendant must serve at least two-thirds of the seven-year term before being eligible for release.

The judge warned Wallace he would be on licence upon his release and if he commits any further offences he would be returned to prison.

Restraining orders were also put in place prohibiting the defendant from approaching or contacting either of his victims, in both cases for ten years.