An enraged van driver “snapped” and used his vehicle as a “highly dangerous weapon” to hurtle straight towards two “trick or treat” 13-year-old boys out on their bicycles on Halloween. Two pedestrians quickly had to “dive out of the way” to avoid being hit by the van and there could have been “the gravest of consequences” to the boys, Hull Crown Court heard.
Lewis Dickinson, 34, of Anlaby Road, west Hull, admitted two offences of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to the two boys with intent, on October 31. He pleaded guilty on the day of a scheduled trial. He also admitted dangerous driving.
Andrew Nixon, prosecuting, said that the two 13-year-old boys were out “trick or treating” at about 9pm. Neither of them was wearing a mask but they could have been wearing hoodies.
They were on bicycles in the Gipsyville roundabout area of west Hull. They cycled past Dickinson’s parked van but one of the boys was suddenly challenged by him. Dickinson said: “What the f*** are you looking at?” before going into his house.
The boys went further down the road but Dickinson got in his van and drove along a short section of pavement directly towards the teenagers. Two other pedestrians had to “dive out of the way” to avoid the van as it “careered towards” them.
One of the boys suffered injuries and was taken to Hull Royal Infirmary. He was left struggling to get to sleep and he was not able to put pressure on a foot. He could not walk as fast as he could previously.
Dickinson used the van as a “highly dangerous weapon” and the two other pedestrians who “took evasive action” were “so nearly injured” in the incident. “It was a deliberate decision to ignore the rules of the road and disregard the safety of others,” said Mr Nixon.
Dickinson took the bicycles of the boys. He had convictions for 10 previous offences, including arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered, assault causing actual bodily harm, disorderly behaviour and possessing a blade in public.
He had been to prison in the past. His most recent conviction was for drink-driving in 2022 and, before that, his most recent conviction was in 2013.
Victoria Smith-Swain, mitigating, said that Dickinson wrongly believed, at the time, that the two boys were associated with other people, including youths, who had been causing “numerous incidents” of trouble for him, his family and his business. “He fully accepts that it was a mistaken belief,” said Miss Smith-Swain.
“He realises that the children were enjoying Halloween. He is not someone who has a grudge. He is a man who accepts that he snapped in that manner.
“It’s unfortunate that these two victims suffered the consequences of that and he is remorseful for that. It turned out that these were two innocent boys but that was not his belief at the time.
“He has developed a good insight into his offending.” Dickinson had written a letter of apology and there were references for him.
He had attended sessions of anger management courses and he had recently been on an electronically monitored curfew. “He has learned a salutory lesson from these proceedings,” said Miss Smith-Swain. “He realises that he is at a turning point in his life. He has no desire to return to the area. He wishes to apologise.
“He has expressed genuine remorse and shame for his behaviour and insight into the harm caused. He is in no way seeking to blame the two victims in any way.”
Dickinson, formerly of Hessle Road, west Hull, had paid £1,000 compensation to the family of one of the boys for the damage to a bicycle and he was willing to pay the requested £300 compensation for the injured boy’s bicycle. He had been working recently doing van refurbishment and sales but he was no longer involved in haulage.
Deputy circuit judge Timothy Clayson said that there was no evidence from CCTV pictures that the two boys were “up to no good” at the time. He told Dickinson: “These two victims were vulnerable due to their age.
“There was here, undoubtedly, the use of a highly dangerous weapon – a van that you were driving dangerously and deliberately towards them. This was you taking the law into your own hands, which could have had the gravest of consequences.
“This was a loss of temper, a very serious loss of temper, against a background of repeated nuisance and disturbance by youths in the area, which had a significant impact on you and your family, albeit there is no suggestion of these young teenagers themselves being involved. It’s only pure chance that has resulted in serious injuries not being caused by your actions.
“Only a sentence of immediate imprisonment is appropriate here.” Dickinson, who had been on bail, was jailed for four years and 11 months. He was originally jailed for five years but the sentence was reduced at a later hearing because of an error in calculations.
He was banned from driving for five years and nine months and he must pass an extended retest before he can drive legally again. He was given a restraining order for three-and-half years.
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