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20 May 2011

Man who ran down a crowd of drinkers jailed ‘indefinitely’

26-year-old Lee Anthony Bradley is jailed for driving through a crowd of people in Rochdale after being found guilty of 13 counts of assault.

Lee Bradley - CCTV footage Rochdale

Appearing at Bolton Crown Court for sentencing, Bradley was handed an indeterminate sentence in the interest of public protection with a minmum term of six years.

Judge Morris gave sentencing saying: “You will not be released, in fact, until the parole board decide that it is safe to release you again into the community.”

CCTV footage reveals how Bradley turned from the main road of Packer Street in Rochdale before driving through crowds of drinkers in October 2010. Minutes before he had been thrown out of Dali Bar for being drunk and staff believed him to have been under the influence of drugs. Bradley then got into a stolen Saab 93 before driving at the Dali Bar door staff. He then went on to drive the car through dozens of people leaving 21 people injured and requiring medical help, one suffering a fractured skull.

Bradley went missing for over two weeks before finally handing himself into police after numerous public appeals for him to come forward.

He was found guilty of one count of grievous bodily harm with intent, two counts of causing grievous bodily harm, 10 counts of actual bodily harm, dangerous driving and aggravated vehicle taking.

Senior Investigating Officer Andy Tattersall said: “To say it was fortunate that no one was more seriously injured or killed is an understatement. Bradley is a violent and dangerous individual who probably felt a certain amount of humiliation and anger at being asked to leave the club. It is a reflection of his character that he chose to deal with that by driving a car at door staff and along a crowded pavement where dozens of people were enjoying a night out.”

Bradley was convicted of manslaughter in 2002 after a fight in Rochdale. His lawyer, Anthony Morris, told the court how his clients problem with drugs and alcohol had resulted in his irrational behaviour: “He’s not bad by nature, he’s bad when he’s had a combination of things that can be avoided.”

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