John Henry Sayers, a 62-year-old father-of-six, has been cleared by a jury at the Old Bailey for attacking William Patterson, who drove a Land Rover into his Newcastle home and set it alight. Sayers and his son, John Henry Sayers Junior, were found not guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and the lesser alternative of causing grievous bodily harm.
Incident and Immediate Response
In February last year, Sayers was at home with his young teenage daughter Ava when he felt a bang as a Range Rover was reversed into Lou's Diner beneath his flat. He picked up a machete and went outside, followed by his son, who grabbed a metal pole. They found Patterson torching the vehicle, which had a container of fuel inside and burst into flames. CCTV showed Sayers swinging his machete twice before moving the burning vehicle away, suffering burns. His son struck Patterson with the pole. When police arrived, Sayers was tasered and arrested.
Threats and Osman Warning
The court heard that the Sayers family had been repeatedly attacked by the Freeman organised crime group for three years before the incident. Sayers had received multiple Osman warnings from police, indicating a genuine threat to his life. He said, 'I have had that many Osman warnings they mean nothing to us. We have all got to die one day.' Despite police urging him to let them handle the threats, Sayers felt forced to act when his home was targeted with his daughter inside.
Defense and Jury Decision
Sayers told the court he acted instinctively: 'I didn't even know I had picked the machete up. I just thought; I have got to go outside, I need something to protect myself with. We retaliated in self-defence.' After approximately four hours of deliberation, the jury unanimously acquitted both father and son. Sayers expressed gratitude: 'We are so grateful to the London jurors for actually seeing common sense. Yes I hit him, but I only hit him to stop him doing what he was doing.'
Background and Previous Convictions
Sayers has a history of incarceration, including a 15-year sentence for masterminding a £350,000 wages robbery in 1990. He was cleared of murder in 2002 and later acquitted of conspiracy to murder but convicted of perverting the course of justice in relation to a false confession, receiving a three-and-a-half-year sentence. During his 18 months on remand for this case, he was held at HMP Frankland and HMP Belmarsh, worrying constantly about his family.
Aftermath and Future Plans
Patterson pleaded guilty to arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered and was jailed. Sayers and his son are now focused on rebuilding their lives and businesses in Newcastle. Sayers said, 'It will never be over, but how can you give in. I'm just going to get on with life. It's onwards and upwards now.' He emphasized his commitment to keeping his family safe within the law.
