A man called ‘H’ launched a machete attack which left his victim with his arm nearly hanging off, a jury heard on Wednesday, May 5, 2021.
Micah Stoute, known as H, caused the victim a “very serious injury and a significant loss of blood,” Luton Crown Court heard.
When a woman asked Stoute what happened he is alleged to have said: “Put it this way, his arm was hanging off.”
Stoute, who claims he is the victim of mistaken identity, denies causing grievous bodily harm with intent, along with Grant Melia, 41, of Southwood Road, Dunstable and David Walpole, 41, of Recreation Road, Houghton Regis. Stoute ,25, of Garter Court, Knightsfield, Luton also denies having a machete.
Walpole denies theft of a Peugeot and arson of the Peugeot. Prosecutor Peter Shaw told the jury the attack happened in Hammersmith Gardens in Houghton Regis, Beds at around 6.30pm on Thursday, May 7, 2020.
“Micah Stoute was armed with a machete at the time and he used it to strike the victim across his arm. This caused a very serious injury and a significant loss of blood.
“The prosecution say although Mr Stoute actually brandished and used the machete to wound, all three are responsible for the attack as they were involved in a joint enterprise attack,” he said.
Mr Shaw said the three defendants arrived in a car with a woman called Lisa Smallbones. She was also arrested, but charges were discontinued.
He went on: “It is not entirely clear what motivated the attack, although one witness, who was later to speak to the police, mentioned that David Walpole may have been suspicions of an affair between his girlfriend and the victim.”
The prosecutor said Walpole and Melia accept being at the scene. Stoute does not accept being there, saying he is a victim of mistaken identity.
Walpole had been in a four year ‘on and off’, ‘fractious relationship’ with a woman, the jury of eight men and four women heard. On the night before the attack he stayed over.
In the morning it is alleged they rowed and he stormed out of the house with the keys to her black Peugeot 307.
That evening the prosecution allege Walpole returned to Hammersmith Gardens and said that evening saying that he was “going to get his boys.”
He returned with what one witness said was a “fat man”. The prosecution say this was Grant Melia.
Also with him was a black man with cornrows in his hair. It is alleged this was Michael Stoute,who was carrying a machete.
The victim, who had been sitting in a Audi car, ran into alleyway pursued by the man with the machete and the fat man. One woman saw them return and noticed the machete was “dripping with blood.”
The victim was found bleeding. After the attacked it is alleged Lisa Smallbones saw ‘H’ washing blood off the machete in the bathroom.
Mr Shaw said: “She asked H what had happened, he replied: “Put it this way, his arm was hanging off.”
