UPDATE: |Thugs who ambushed bin men with gun, axe and sledgehammer jailed News

All three victims no longer work for the council because of what happened

Three thugs who ambushed bin men with a gun, axe and sledgehammer have been jailed. Joe Corden, Jack Spackman, and Kyle Worthington have been locked up after they launched the horrific assaults on the council workers and their wagons.

The violence erupted after Corden was involved in a road rage incident with a lorry at 11.15am on March 21, 2023 in Birches Head, Stoke-on-Trent. Corden lost his temper after a near collision between his Vauxhall Corsa and the wagon at the junction of Birches Head Road and Fairhaven Road.

Corden fetched a lollipop sign from the boot of his car to smash up the lorry, and assaulted his victim with his fists. The bin wagon returned to the depot immediately after the attack – but in the meantime, Corden got three friends – Jack Spackman, Kyle Worthington and a youth – to help ambush a second wagon. Worthington, the last of the four to get out of Corden’s car, fired a gun in terrifying scenes captured on both lorries’ dashcams.

A sledgehammer, axe, baton and pole were also used. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard that all three victims no longer work for the council because of what happened.

Corden – described as having a ‘leading role – was sentenced to six years and eight months behind bars. The 29-year-old, of Tellwright Street, Burslem, had earlier pleaded guilty to two charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm with intent, two charges of wounding with intent, possession of an offensive weapon in a public place, damaging property, driving without a licence and driving without insurance.

Matthew Ness, mitigating for Corden, said the former binman was ‘horrified and embarrassed’ by his behaviour. Mr Ness said: “He has shown a high level of remorse and has insight into the ongoing psychological impact his offending would have caused his victims. Offending of this severity is out of character for him.”

Meanwhile, Spackman, 25, of Beverley Drive, Bentilee, was sentenced to five years and six months in jail. He had admitted one charge of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm with intent, possession of an offensive weapon in public and criminal damage.

Akaal Singh Sidhu, representing Spackman, said: “He got involved in the latter part of this. It was not his fight. He accepts what he did was very wrong. He is remorseful.”

Worthington, 21, of Abbey Road, Abbey Hulton, was locked up for six years after pleading guilty to conspiring to cause grievous bodily harm with intent and possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. He also falls to be sentenced for other unrelated matters including dangerous driving.

Andrew Wilkins, mitigating for Worthington, said all the offending happened more than two years ago and his client has been in custody for more than two years.

Mr Wilkins said: “It wasn’t his fight. He was shocked by the level of violence. He is ashamed of himself. He took out the gun that he foolishly took with him and fired it. I am told he fired it into the air. He has to accept he was part of the conspiracy. He knew what was going on. He knew there was going to be significant violence. That was why the firearm must have been scary. This is a young man who needs to be punished but also has significant prospects for the future.”