Convicted killer avoids jail term

4:40pm Friday 12th December 2008

A CONVICTED killer has escaped being jailed for breaching a court order slapped on him after he glued a man’s eyes together in a “stupid and dangerous” prank.

Jamie Keith Richardson was handed the court order after admitting squirting superglue at his room-mate Sean Barker in a York homeless centre. He was given a suspended 12-month prison sentence.

Yesterday, he appeared at York Crown Court after failing to obey the conditions of that punishment by not carrying out unpaid community work or participating in an alcohol treatment programme.

But Judge Stephen Ashurst, the Recorder of York, decided to spare Richardson jail after hearing he had failed to carry out the unpaid work because he had broken his ankle and that his attendance record on the alcohol course had improved in recent months.

He instead extended the six-month alcohol treatment programme for a further three months and ordered Richardson to complete the unpaid work once his ankle had healed.

Defence barrister Catherine Duffy said Richardson had separated from his wife 18 months ago and his ten-year-old son had been living in Spain, meaning he had no contact with him.

“He turned to alcohol,” she said.

“His son has now returned to the UK and he sees him every week night.”

She said Richardson had applied for housing, so that he could see his son at weekends.

“I would submit that he now has motivation to address his drink problem,” she said.

“His future is starting to look more positive.”

Judge Ashurst said: “The alcohol treatment, which is at the heart of your programme, is having some effect. I think bringing in a 12-month sentence immediately would be disproportionate to what you’ve done.”

Richardson, 27, of Southview Hostel, in Boroughbridge Road, was jailed for four years in 1999 for manslaughter after attacking a mentally ill man who later died in hospital.

In July, he pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm against Mr Barker. The court heard how he was staying at the Arc Light Centre for the homeless on February 24 when, as his victim slept, he squirted superglue over his face and eyes.

It stuck Mr Barker’s eyelids together and he was only able to open his eyes again two days later. After a month, he was told there would be no lasting damage.

Richardson claimed he did not remember the incident, but must have intended it as a joke, and was given a suspended sentence and ordered to do 100 hours unpaid work in the community, as well as entering the alcohol programme as part of a supervision order.