Leamington, Warwickshire – A violent hammer attack has ended with Jake Coop, a young assailant, being apprehended and sentenced to a five-year custodial term in Warwick Crown Court. Coop, along with a 16-year-old accomplice whose identity remains protected due to legal reasons, orchestrated a pre-planned assault targeting a victim with intentions of stabbing him.
On the afternoon of September 16, the victim and his companions encountered Coop and the minor on Tapping Way in Leamington. Amid the confrontation, Coop struck the victim on the head with a hammer while the 16-year-old brandished a large Rambo knife, even pursuing one of the victim’s friends. The assailants then hastily fled the scene on bicycles, prompting concerned members of the public to intervene.
Following the assault, the victim collapsed and began experiencing seizures in Coton End, prompting his friends to seek medical assistance. Paramedics arrived, transporting him to the hospital where he was promptly placed in an induced coma for treatment. Fortunately, a subsequent CT scan revealed no significant brain damage, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the harrowing incident.
Law enforcement swiftly apprehended the 16-year-old suspect in the early hours of the following day at his residence. Coop, on the other hand, voluntarily surrendered at Leamington Police Station later that day. The duo was promptly charged and faced prosecution for their heinous crime.
In a statement, Detective Constable Mark Lowndes of Warwickshire Police CID condemned the violent attack, emphasizing the gravity of such incidents and the potential devastating consequences they entail. The court ultimately found Coop guilty of causing grievous bodily harm, possession of an offensive weapon, and conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm, resulting in his incarceration. Conversely, the 16-year-old from Rugby, upon pleading guilty to possession of a bladed article and conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm, received a four-year custodial sentence.