A dad-of-six battered his sister’s boyfriend after he stole pain medication from his mum’s home.
Damian Jebb attacked Jason Barham in Birkenhead earlier this year after the culmination of a long running dispute stemming from Mr Barham’s theft of the medication to fuel his own addiction.
More than a dozen family members and supporters watched as Jebb, from Tranmere, was jailed on Friday at Liverpool Crown Court, with many shouting messages of support.
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Louise McCloskey, prosecuting, said the origins of the attack were rooted in Mr Barham stealing Tramadol from Jebb’s mum a number of times while visiting her home. He told police he battled an addiction to the medication and admitted taking them when he went round.
Ms McCloskey said: “He said he then heard from someone that his girlfriend’s brother, the defendant, was looking for him and ‘wanted to batter him’.” She said Mr Barham tried to avoid areas of Birkenhead where he knew Jebb was likely to be but said he was out with friends on May 28 when Jebb, travelling in a car with other men, saw him.
Jebb and the other men got out of the car and then launched an attack on him out in the street, hitting him numerous times. Only Jebb was identified and he later admitted wounding with intent. Mr Barham was left with a small bleed on the brain and required stitches - but he discharged himself from hospital before his treatment could be fully completed. In a statement to the court, he said he didn’t want Jebb to go to prison for the sake of his six children and one step-child.
Paul Wood, defending, appealed to the judge, Robert Trevor-Jones, to take into account the difficult family dynamics at the heart of the case when considering the length of Jebb’s jail term. He said: “This defendant and Mr Barham are going to have to put this behind them and move forward as a family in some way. Your honour may consider the less bitterness there is in this family [after the conclusion of the case], the better.”
Mr Wood added that before his arrest Jebb was effectively a full time dad and his imprisonment would have a significant impact on his family.
Judge Trevor-Jones jailed Jebb, of Derby Road, was jailed for two years and seven months. Family members waved and shouted messages of support, with one woman shouting “love you bro” and another, believed to be Jebb’s mum, shouting “I love you son and I’m proud of you”.
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