Man admits bus stop hammer horror

Aug 22 2007 By Ross McCarthy, Birmingham Mail

A MAN was chased from a bus stop and smashed on the head with a hammer, a court heard.

Horrified passers-by saw Ted Blake suffer a fractured skull which left him brain-damaged, Richard Atkins, prosecuting, told a jury at Birmingham Crown Court yesterday.

Leon Hamilton, 22, of Ox Leasow, Woodgate Valley, Birmingham, denies attempted murder, but admits wounding Mr Blake with intent.

On March 6 Mr Blake, of Rubery, was waiting at a bus stop just off Bristol Road South when a VW Golf pulled up and Hamilton jumped out.

"He had with him a hammer that he had purchased literally just minutes before at a builders' merchants," Mr Atkins said.

Mr Blake ran off and was pursued by Hamilton across a road and under a fly-over.

Hamilton caught up with him outside a hardware store and smashed the hammer down, point end first, on Mr Blake's head.

Mr Atkins said the hammer went through Mr Blake's skull and he collapsed with it still embedded in his head.

Surgeons removed a piece of plastic from Mr Blake's brain which had been used to wrap the recently-purchased tool.

Police traced the car and also the builders' merchant where Hamilton had bought the hammer.

Mr Atkins said Hamilton had never given an explanation for what he had done although it was likely that he had seen Mr Blake in the street and had decided to carry out the attack because of some kind of grudge or grievance.

(Proceeding)