Men jailed for total of 18 years for attacking refuse collectors

Three men have been sentenced to a total of more than 18 years after admitting being involved in an attack on a number of refuse collectors in Stoke-on-Trent.

Joe Cordon, 29, of Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Jack Spackman, 25, of Bentilee, Stoke-on-Trent, and Kyle Worthington, 21, of Abbey Hulton, Stoke-on-Trent, have been sentenced for violence offences at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court this afternoon (Thursday 10 April).

At 11.15am on 21 March 2023, a Stoke-on-Trent City Council bin lorry was travelling along Fairhaven Grove towards Birches Head Road, Birches Head. As it got to the top of Fairhaven Grove, a Vauxhall Corsa turned into the road at speed and caused the lorry to stop abruptly.

The driver of the Corsa, Joe Cordon went up to the lorry and punched the driver three times through the window. Cordon then went back to his car and got out a lollypop stick out of the boot and hit the bin lorry with it. The victim was taken to hospital with head, facial and foot injuries.

At 11.45am the same day, a different bin lorry was on Birches Head Road, Birches Head. The same Vauxhall Corsa pulled up slightly up the road and four men got out. The driver, Cordon, was carrying an axe. The second man, Jack Spackman was carrying a large sledgehammer, the third, Kyle Worthington, who had a firearm.

Cordon smashed the driver’s window with the axe and struck all three refuse workers with it. Spackman hit the lorry with the sledgehammer smashing the windows. Cordon and Spackman damaged the bin lorry. Worthington then discharged a firearm at the bin lorry. All of the men got back into the Corsa and Cordon drove off.

One of the refuse collectors was taken to hospital with facial, head and leg injuries. The second had a head injury and the third had head and leg injuries.

The Corsa was located by officers in Kidsgrove shortly after the incident. A sledgehammer was found inside.

Cordon was arrested in Suffolk on the afternoon of 24 March 2023.

A teenage boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was also involved. He pleaded to conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm, possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and criminal damage. He was given a youth rehabilitation order for three years which included 240 hours unpaid work, a curfew and electronic monitoring.

Detective Inspector Andy Bryan said: “This was two unprovoked attacks on refuse collectors who were simply doing their jobs. Both incidents happened in the daytime while local residents were present in the streets. It is more luck than judgement that the injuries sustained by the refuse collectors.

“I am pleased all four defendants admitted their involvement in the attack.”

Stoke-on-Trent City Council leader Jane Ashworth said: “These were shocking and completely unprovoked attacks on hard-working crews. We are thankful justice has been served. We hope today’s sentencing will bring some comfort to the victims and their families and send a clear message: we will not tolerate violence or abuse against our staff in any circumstances.”

Joe Cordon was sentenced to six years and eight months imprisonment. He pleaded guilty to Section 18 - wounding with intent, two counts of assault a person thereby occasioning them actual bodily harm, two counts of criminal damage, drive a motor vehicle otherwise in accordance with a licence and use a motor vehicle on a road without third party insurance.

Kyle Worthington was sentenced to six years in jail. He pleaded guilty to conspire to cause grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

Jack Spackman was sentenced to five years and six months imprisonment. He admitted two counts of conspire to cause grievous bodily harm with intent, possess an offensive weapon in a public place and criminal damage.

Top to bottom: Joe Cordon, Jack Spackman and Kyle Worthington.