In a disturbing incident reminiscent of a crime drama, three men have been sentenced to significant prison terms for their roles in a violent ambush on council workers in Stoke-on-Trent. The assaults occurred on 21 March 2023, when Joe Corden, aged 29, after a road rage altercation, orchestrated a planned attack against refuse collectors in Birches Head. Alongside him were accomplices Jack Spackman, 25, and Kyle Worthington, 21.
The events unfolded around 11.15 am when Corden became enraged after a near-collision between his Vauxhall Corsa and a refuse truck at the junction of Birches Head Road and Fairhaven Road. According to prosecutor Robert Holt, Corden exited his vehicle and confronted the driver of the bin wagon, delivering multiple punches and subsequently threatening further violence. After the initial confrontation, Corden reportedly proclaimed he would return with a weapon.
Just 15 minutes later, Corden regrouped with Spackman and a youth, targeting a different refuse wagon, mistakenly believing it was the one previously associated with the incident. The group arrived armed with an axe, a sledgehammer, and a firearm. In a violent spree, Corden used the axe to smash the windows of the wagon while Spackman wielded a sledgehammer. Both men, along with the youth carrying a baton, violently attacked the council workers inside, resulting in injuries.
The court heard that the assaults left one bin man with serious injuries, prompting him to receive medical treatment for lacerations and bruises. The damage to the bin wagon was estimated at £3,794. Worthington was found to have used a blank-firing pistol during the altercation, and later admitted to firing it towards the bin wagon as part of his involvement.
Following an investigation, all three men were arrested. Corden was sentenced to six years and eight months imprisonment, Spackman received five and a half years (with time served deducted for curfew), and Worthington was sentenced to six years in prison. The judge, Graeme Smith, described the footage of the incident as “shocking” and highlighted the significant planning and premeditated nature of the attack, expressing concern for the safety of workers providing essential public services.
During the sentencing, the judge remarked on the critical role of refuse collection, particularly in light of ongoing disputes affecting such services elsewhere, underscoring the expectation that workers should not endure violence while performing their duties.
In mitigation, lawyers for the defendants offered insights into their clients' backgrounds, suggesting various personal issues and a lack of previous violent behaviour, although the severity of the offences led to substantial terms of imprisonment. Worthington, who was also embroiled in separate incidents of dangerous driving and drug possession, expressed remorse for his actions.
The judicial outcomes reflect a firm stance on violent crime, particularly when aimed at public service workers. A youth involved in the attacks was sentenced in a preceding hearing to a three-year youth rehabilitation order, emphasising that justice will be upheld for all participants in the violent episode.
Source: Noah Wire Services