A drug addict who brandished a zombie knife at a teenager has been given a 15-year sentence in a bid to ‘protect the public’.
James Coomber went to the 19-year-old’s home in Marske armed with the knife and while his accomplice attacked the teenager, Coomber slashed his shin twice with the blade.
Teesside Crown Court heard the previous day Coomber, of no fixed address, had been involved in an altercation outside a house in Whitby Close, Skelton, where he had driven a car at a group of men and narrowly missed hitting them.
He fled the scene and shortly after was involved in a collision where he was driving towards oncoming traffic and hit another car. The court was told he fled the scene without checking to see if the other driver was ok.
The incidents took place on June 3 and 4 last year and Coomber’s sister later called police concerned for his welfare. Officers found the 30-year-old sitting in a tree in Redcar threatening to kill himself.
The court heard on the evening of the aggravated burglary, Coomber and an accomplice went to the 19-year-old’s home looking for drugs as he was an “easy target”.
Both Coomber and his accomplice went upstairs, where the victim had been sleeping. He was punched several times and the thieves made off with a PlayStation, jewellery and a mobile phone.
David Ward, prosecuting, said the defendant had had “a number of prison sentences in his criminal career”. He had 37 previous convictions for 72 offences.
John Nixon, defending, said: “It was a bad few days for him, to put it mildly. He said that he understands he deserves a custodial sentence. It is a credit to him that he acknowledges that. He understands as well as anyone how appalling his actions were.”
He said whilst on remand prison staff have praised Coomber, with one saying “James is a good example of how people should act in prison” and another added “he is showing great leadership qualities”.
Judge Edward Legard said of the aggravated burglary: “He (the teenager) was sought out by you and your accomplice as an easy target.” He said they had preyed upon the young man in what must have been an ‘acutely frightening’ incident. He added that it was only a matter of ‘good luck’ that the motorist he collided with during the crash had not been seriously injured.
Coomber pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated burglary, possession of a bladed article, dangerous driving, affray, driving without a licence and failing to stop at the scene of an accident.
Judge Legard sentenced Coomber to 11 years in prison and added an extended licence of four years “in order to protect the public in the future”.
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