Men chased women around West Howe in car armed with machete

Zakaria Bensmail, 19, and Callum Mark O’Donnell, 22, found themselves before Bournemouth Crown Court for sentencing on November 15 in relation to the events in West Howe on August 6.

Dashcam footage from a witness’s vehicle played in court showed one of the defendants banging on the window of the car containing the victims with a machete in his hand.

Judge Stephen Climie told the defendants: “The two of you probably think you are quite clever.

“You are unbelievably stupid.”

Judge Climie decided to impose a three-year community order rather than a short custodial sentence to “keep a sword hanging over” the defendants.

Both offenders had been remanded in custody since the incident, meaning they had effectively served a six-month prison sentence already.

Prosecuting, Stuart Ellacott said Bensmail had been in a “form of relationship” with one of the victims. They had been seeing each other for a number of months but it had come to an end a few months prior to the incident.

On August 6, she called Bensmail and was “angry and shouting at him” after damage had been caused to her car, Mr Ellacott said.

The court heard a few hours later she was in her friend’s car and they were travelling in West Howe when they became aware of another vehicle driving towards them, which caused them to stop. This vehicle was being driven by Bensmail and O’Donnell was a passenger.

Mr Ellacott said an altercation took place. The victims described being “distressed” before driving off around the block and trying to get away.

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“It appears that on two occasions at least her vehicle was forced to stop,” Mr Ellacott said.

The prosecutor said each defendant got out on separate occasions and approached the car with a machete in their hand.

“The chase comes to an end when as they came round the block again the vehicle driven by Mr Bensmail is described as ramming the back of the victim’s vehicle,” Mr Ellacott said.

This caused them to collide with the other victim’s vehicle which was parked in the road.

Mr Ellacott said one of the victim’s described being “petrified by what was going on”.

Bensmail, of Richmond Park Road, Bournemouth, pleaded guilty to driving dangerously, using a vehicle without insurance, driving a vehicle without a licence, affray and possession of a bladed article. O’Donnell, of Martin Avenue, Oldham, pleaded guilty to affray and possession of a bladed article.

Laura Deuxberry, representing Bensmail, said her client had a “sobering” first experience of custody while remanded.

“In his words it has made him realise he does not have all the time in the world,” Ms Deuxberry said.

The barrister said Bensmail had a son and he wanted to support the mother, who was not a victim in the case, and his child.

Ms Deuxberry said the night before the incident he received a phone call from his estranged father.

“His emotions were all over the place,” she said.

“Everything just exploded.”

She added: “He is very disappointed in himself. He is remorseful and his behaviour was appalling and he acknowledges that.”

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Lucy Conroy, representing O’Donnell, said: “He has found himself getting caught up in something. Effectively a litany of poor decisions and poor judgement has led to him getting involved in someone on impulse.”

Her client was remorseful and “very sorry” for what happened to the victims, Ms Conroy told the court.

She said O’Donnell was looking to move back to the Manchester area, adding: “It is very clear Bournemouth only holds bad memories for him.”

The court heard O’Donnell’s previous conviction for a drug supply offence came about after he was exploited by a suspected county lines operation to be a runner.

Judge Climie said while the offending warranted a custodial sentence, the defendants would likely be released from prison in the not too distance future.

He said the community order “will keep them under the courts eye for the next three years”.

The sentence included requirements to carry out a Thinking Skills programme, up to 40 rehabilitation activity days and 200 hours of unpaid work.

Bensmail was also disqualified from driving for three years, while both defendants were given five-year restraining orders not to contact the victims.

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