An out-of-control driver launched a violent attack on a couple in front of their young child during a heated altercation in a parking lot.
Kurt Kirkham became enraged when the victims confronted him for driving the wrong way on a one-way street. Newcastle Crown Court learned that Kirkham left the father with a fractured sternum and forcibly pulled out a chunk of hair from the mother’s head, throwing her to the ground, all while their terrified daughters looked on.
The couple, accompanied by their three-year-old and nine-year-old daughters, were en route to pick up a pet on Saturday, March 15. As they navigated through a car park opposite Dunelm in North Shields, they encountered Kirkham driving his silver Mercedes in the wrong direction.
The male victim halted his vehicle, prompting Kirkham to exit his car and approach aggressively. After being informed that the couple’s children were in the car, Kirkham initially seemed to walk away. However, he abruptly turned back, shouting, “come on then,” and proceeded to strike the man through the open window. Disturbingly, Kirkham even opened the back door where the children were seated.
Concerned for his daughters’ safety, the father exited the car to divert Kirkham’s attention. Subsequently, Kirkham violently assaulted the man, kicking him forcefully in the chest, and then turned his aggression towards the woman, throwing her to the ground and violently yanking out a clump of her hair while the children cried in fear.
Upon his arrest, Kirkham admitted to driving the wrong way and described the incident as “unfortunate.” The female victim expressed in a statement, “The event has profoundly affected me, my partner, and our two daughters. The man’s behavior was erratic, and I have never witnessed such violence before. It seemed like he was intent on causing harm and would not cease until someone was seriously injured.”
She further detailed, “When I saw my partner being attacked and gasping for air, I had to make a difficult decision. Despite not wanting to leave my children, I had to intervene because I knew he would continue his assault. I was thrown to the ground by this man, violating my belief that men should not harm women. It was traumatizing for my children to witness their parents being attacked, and I feared for their safety.”
Describing the lasting impact, she added, “This incident has left me emotionally scarred. It was a traumatic experience for our family. Children should not be exposed to such violence. The man’s child was also present in the car and witnessed the entire ordeal.”
Kirkham, 36, from Walkerville, Newcastle, with a history of violence convictions and previous suspended sentences, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing actual bodily harm and was sentenced to 29 months in prison.
During sentencing, Judge Stephen Earl labeled the incident as a case of “car park rage,” emphasizing the severity of the assault on the parents in front of their children. He criticized Kirkham for inflicting significant harm and noted the distress caused to the children who witnessed their parents being attacked by an individual clearly out of control.
