Birmingham Man Sentenced for Chainsaw Attack in Solihull Woodland
A Birmingham man has been sentenced to two years in prison after a terrifying incident in which he attacked a dog walker with a chainsaw in woodland near his home.
The Woodland Confrontation
Lewis Whitsey, aged 34, was cutting down trees in woodland near Gospel Lane, between Acocks Green and Olton in Solihull, when he became involved in an altercation between two dog walkers on May 28 last year.
The court heard that Paul Mills had been walking his cocker spaniel at around 3pm when his dog was repeatedly attacked by a dalmatian. Mr Mills admitted to 'toe-poking' the dalmation in its side to separate the animals, which led to an argument with the dalmatian's owner.
The Chainsaw Threat
Whitsey, who was working nearby, told his neighbour 'give me the nod I will do him, chop him up with an axe' before retrieving his chainsaw. He then approached Mr Mills while revving the power tool, creating what the judge described as a 'terrifying moment'.
Thankfully, Whitsey had deactivated the chainsaw before it made contact with Mr Mills, resulting in a cut to his shoulder rather than more serious injuries. Mr Mills also suffered a minor hand injury when he grabbed the stationary blade.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
At Birmingham Crown Court, Whitsey pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding but denied deliberately striking the dog walker, claiming the injury occurred accidentally during a scuffle. Judge Dean Kershaw rejected this account, stating: 'I am sure the defendant caused the injury with a deliberate motion with a chainsaw but not when it was running.'
The judge added: 'It is so improbable the injury was caused in a scuffle in the way the defendant tries to describe it.' He sentenced Whitsey to two years imprisonment, plus an additional two months for breaching a suspended sentence for burglary received last year.
Character Assessment and Mitigation
Judge Kershaw noted that Whitsey had problems with drugs in the past and suspected traits of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The court heard positive character references, with the judge acknowledging: 'There's another side to you I am sure of it. It's clear how good you can be.'
Defence barrister Chan Shoker argued that Whitsey was more 'misguided' than aggressive, stating: 'He doesn't cope well under pressure. His anxiety led him to become involved. He didn't think through his involvement and acted, to a degree, on impulse.'
Judge's Warning
In his sentencing remarks, Judge Kershaw delivered a stark warning about what could have happened: 'You only had to press that button and it could have all been very different. You don't get a gold star for that. But it's right you obviously had a change of heart.'
The judge also noted that Mr Mills had been 'verbally aggressive' during the incident, while describing Whitsey as 'not a good witness' during court proceedings.
