Northampton man jailed after 'violent rampage' which included punching a dog and its owner
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John Wright, previously of Norfolk Street in Semilong, appeared at Northampton Crown Court on September 30 for sentencing, after he pleaded guilty to six charges. The charges are: assault thereby occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), assault by beating, affray, assault by beating an emergency worker, causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal and criminal damage to property under the value of £5,000.
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Hide AdThe charges relate to an incident that happened around midday on May 15 in the Little Billing area of Northampton, described by police as a “violent rampage".
Police were called following reports that a man had been assaulted at the family home of John Wright. According to police, the man retaliated and punched Wright, who - dressed in only his boxer shorts - left the house in an agitated state before walking into the front garden of a neighbouring property.
The 22-year-old punched a Yorkshire Terrier dog, causing it to yelp and run back towards the address, and when confronted by its owner, Wright pushed him to the floor, stood over him and repeatedly punched him, police say. The man in his 70s was taken to Northampton General Hospital after he suffered a dislocated finger, two black eyes as well as cuts and bruises to his head and arms during the sustained and unprovoked violent assault.
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Hide AdWright went back into the street where he argued with his mother and was seen to grab and hit her several times, before he noticed a woman sitting in a parked car.
To gain access to the vehicle, he then attempted to assault her. However, as his mother and brother tried to restrain him, he eventually stopped and once again became aggressive towards the pair, according to Northamptonshire Police.
Wright then picked up a large piece of concrete and as he walked down the road, he pushed a young boy off his bicycle – thankfully causing no injuries – before continuing towards a VW Jetta car and throwing the concrete block through its windscreen.
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Hide AdHe was arrested by Northampton Response officers and taken to hospital due to concerns for acute behavioural disorder, and while receiving treatment, he assaulted a police officer and was further arrested for this offence.
Following the conclusion of the court case, Detective Constable Casey McQuade of CID West said: “The sentence handed to John Wright reflects the seriousness of the offences he committed, and the physical and mental impact his crimes has had on his victims.
“Tackling serious violence is a matter of priority for Northamptonshire Police and I hope this case demonstrates our determination to bring those responsible for these crimes to justice and make our communities a safer place to live and work.”
Wright was sentenced to 39 months in prison and issued with a restraining order not to enter Stockmead Road, valid until 2028.