Motorist who slashed a member of the public with a knife during a road rage attack given suspended jail term

Richard Howells, 56, of Cradley Heath, was annoyed that he had been “cut up” by another vehicle brandished a camping knife before swinging his arm during the incident at the junction of Dudley Road and Waterfall Lane in Halesowen on November 19, 2021.

He was sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Wednesday after previously pleading guilty to an offence of wounding and an offence of possession of a blade.

Judge Stephen Thomas told Howells: “You should count yourself lucky because most people who produce a knife in road rage incident go straight to prison.”

“I have to deal with you for two very serious matters. The first is that you unfortunately wounded Stuart McDonald causing him serious injury. You did that with a knife.

“The circumstances is sometimes described as a road rage incident. For some reason you seem to have taken issue with the vehicle we saw on the CCTV.

“You got out of your vehicle when members of the public including Mr McDonald went to remove the keys. Your response to that was to reach for the knife in the glove compartment.

“You were clearly shown to emerge from your vehicle and become involved in the melee, during which you were using slashing motions with the knife. I am satisfied that you caused the injury to him.”

The court heard that Howells, management consultant, also reversed his car into the other vehicle during the incident which happened at about 1pm.

Prosecuting barrister Miss Ilana Davis told the court that the crimes were aggravated by his road rage, the fact that the incident involved a knife and that a psychiatric report stated he was suffering from depression at the time.

In mitigation, Mr Dean Easthope said Howells, a management consultant, accepted that his actions crossed the custody threshold and that there was “no justification” for what he did.

He said the divorced father unsuccessfully tried to take his own life the previous day due to mental health issues. “He has described it to me as the perfect storm where everything converged,” Mr Easthope said.

Judge Thomas said he would suspend the prison term due to the defendant’s lack of previous convictions, his age and his mental health issues.

Howells, of Victoria Gardens, Old Hill, was jailed for a total of 15 months suspended for 21 months for the offences. He was ordered to carry out 100 hours unpaid work in the community, attend 30 rehabilitation activity days to address his mental health issues, ordered to pay £500 compensation and £600 costs plus the victims’ surcharge.

The judge warned that he would serve the prison sentence if he committed any further offences in the period and gave him 14 days to pay.