Southampton: Man jailed for machete attack on homeless man

Darryl Ball, 46, armed himself with the weapon and marched down London Road, Southampton with his hood up and wearing gloves.

Southampton Crown Court heard how he located his target with a group of homeless people near Tesco Express.

He swung the machete at the man, hitting him on the left-hand side of the head.

But very quickly, police who had been in the area for another matter pounced and arrested him.

Armed police were also called.

READ MORE: Southampton man arrested after London Road stabbing

Police in London Road (Image: Newsquest)

Prosecuting, Keeley Harvey said Ball made a number of comments as he was being arrested, calling his victim a grass and claiming he had been hit by the man earlier.

He also said: “I said to him I would get him back. I will be back. Someone is going to die.”

Upon being interviewed he chose to remain silent and later pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

The victim was taken to hospital with a fracture to his skull and a seven to nine-centimetre cut.

He required surgery to close the wound and was discharged a couple of days later.

The man told police he did not know his attacker but said there had been an incident earlier that day when Ball had been poking his friend.

He said he had been drinking vodka.

Ball, of no fixed address, has 27 previous convictions for 55 offences.

At the time of the incident, on April 23, he was wanted on recall to prison for breaching the conditions of his licence.

He had previously been sentenced to 12 years for stabbing a man in the throat leaving him with a hole in his neck.

READ MORE: London Road reopens after 'suspected stabbing'

Mitigating, Jodie Mittell said her client had been taking a “pragmatic and sensible approach to his future” whilst in custody.

She added that there had been no indication of further violence since he was arrested and “knows he faces a long term”.

Ball was given an extended sentence of 13 years. He will serve eight years in custody and five on licence.

Judge Peter Henry said the incident "was clear revenge".

He added: “You’re taking, at the very least, a high degree of risk that the injury you're going to cause is just going to result in serious injury rather than death.”

He added that there was significant pre-meditation as Ball was seen “marching down the road with this machete”.

An order was also made for the forfeiture and destruction of the weapon.