Robert Dickson’s victim fled to his car and drove to safety after being rendered unconscious
A dad nearly killed a man after visiting the pub with his wife and kids. Robert Dickson’s victim fled to his car and drove to safety after being rendered unconscious when a fight broke out between the two men.
But the dad-of-two then pursued his opponent’s car down the street and hurled a brick through his window. This missile struck the driver in the head, leaving him with a fractured skull and in an induced coma while his attacker simply returned to the pub.
Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday afternoon, Monday, that emergency services were called to Bentinck Street in Birkenhead at around 6.30pm on June 21 2022 after receiving reports that a Peugeot 3008 had “reversed at speed” into two parked vehicles. However, one eyewitness then told paramedics at the scene that the driver, Aaron Kerr, had been struck over the head with a brick.
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Enquiries by police subsequently revealed that he had been involved in an altercation with Dickson, of Gladstone Close, shortly beforehand at Seamus O’Donnell’s pub on nearby Exmouth Street. CCTV footage showed the victim parking up on a side street beside the premises before the defendant climbed over a fence and pursued the car along the road.
Cecilia Pritchard, prosecuting, described how “words were exchanged” between the two men at this stage. This apparently included Dickson telling Mr Kerr: “I’ll put you down.”
The 37-year-old was subsequently said to have knocked the complainant out during an initial flare up of violence outside the pub. He was not charged in relation to this portion of the incident however, having apparently feared that he himself would come under attack.
Mr Kerr then returned to his car and drove away a short distance, stopping on Bentinck Street. But a further CCTV clip, which was played to the court, showed Dickson emerging from behind a tree and approaching his vehicle from the rear.
Upon spotting his attacker, the motorist attempted to reverse away from the other man as he made his way to the driver’s side window. The thug then launched a brick at Mr Kerr before his vehicle continued around a corner, where a loud bang could be heard as the collision occurred out of sight.
Dickson thereafter remarked “he’s bladdered” to onlookers and made his way back to the pub. He has a total of 27 previous convictions for 58 offences including wounding, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, burglary and production of cannabis.
Mr Kerr suffered injuries including a fracture to the frontal bone of the skull, a pocket of trapped air between his brain tissue and skull and bleeding and bruising on the brain as a result of the attack. He was placed in an induced coma and underwent specialist treatment at the Walton Centre before being discharged on June 30.
Desmond Lennon, defending, told the court that the assault followed “an attack upon a friend of the defendant, which the defendant believed Mr Kerr had played a part in” and had reportedly occurred a week earlier. He added: “The defendant had a difficult upbringing as a child.
“His education was greatly curtailed and he started getting into trouble as a teenager. He has turned his life around. He was in a relationship with his partner since they were teenagers. He has stayed out of trouble for a significant amount of time until these events.
“He has worked continuously for 10 years. He has significant responsibility and is in charge of other men at a building site in Formby, where 10 newbuild homes are being constructed. He supervises that site and is the site foreman. He does various jobs around the site and has proved to be a valuable employee.
“He is a changed man in many respects. It is perhaps sad to find him before the court for the commission of this offence. The defendant understands that the only person who has put him in this position is himself.
“His wife does have mental health issues. He worries that it would be difficult for her to cope, were he to be imprisoned. He has had time to reflect on what he has done. He regrets how all of this has turned out.
“He has asked me to convey his apology to Mr Kerr. Whatever happened, Mr Kerr did not deserve that. He is sorry and ashamed over what he has done.”
Dickson admitted one count of unlawful wounding. Appearing in the dock wearing a white shirt and blue tie, he was jailed for two years.
Sentencing, the Honorary Recorder of Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary KC said: “It seems that you and he had something of an argument. Quite what lay behind it all is not clear.
“It seems that, for whatever reason, on that particular day you were at a public house with your partner and children when Mr Kerr arrived in his car and an argument developed between the two of you. You struck him forcefully to the face, knocking him down to the ground.
“He drove away a short distance and parked up not far from where he lives. That is where things took a more dramatic turn. It is clear from the CCTV footage that he was not trying to reverse into you. He was apparently seeking to reverse out of the close in order to get away from you.
“He reversed in a way which did not put you at any risk at all. It must be the case that you simply lost your temper with him and you were determined to teach him a lesson.
“You, at relatively close quarters, threw that item at the side driver’s window. It smashed through the window and into his head, causing him catastrophic injuries.
“Although Mr Kerr made, it seems, a remarkable recovery, I have no doubt at all that these were obviously life-threatening injuries which could have led to fatal consequences for him. This court has seen fatal consequences from much less serious head and brain injuries.
“You have a bad record of past convictions for a variety of offences. However, there has been a long period of time in which you have not offended.
“There is significant mitigation available to you. You have a partner with whom you have had a long relationship and two children, all of whom rely upon you. It is clear that you and your partner have worked hard to create and maintain a stable family home for your children despite some difficulties and challenges which you have each had to work through.”
Dickson turned to the public gallery and gave a thumbs up as he was led down to the cells, telling his supporters: “See you soon. Bye bye.”
