A Sunday night 'cruiser' in Cheltenham was attacked with a pick axe handle and then a barbecue fork by drunken Gary Kennedy, a court heard today.
Trainee mechanic Jean-Paul Birt, from Gloucester, was driving his Ford Fiesta around Cheltenham with other cruisers on November 24 2013 when alcoholic Kennedy hit his car several times, Gloucester Crown Court heard.
That led to a confrontation between Mr Birt and Kennedy, who had not long before left home armed with the handle, fork and also a bread knife, said Julian Kesner, prosecuting.
Kennedy, 50, of Sherborne Place, Cheltenham, admitted three offences of possessing offensive weapons and one of unlawfully wounding Mr Birt.
He was jailed for 14 months by Judge Jamie Tabor QC.
Mr Kesner said Mr Birt, 22, had the weekly Cheltenham cruises 'in his DNA' and took part regularly. On November 24 he had his younger brother in his car and their father was also driving around in his own car.
Cars were moving from one car park to another in the centre of Cheltenham as they did the circuit.
Jean-Paul pulled up in the Sherborne Place car park at about 11.30pm and then decided to do one more circuit before going home, Mr Kesner said
"As he was driving slowly out of the car park the defendant walked up and hit his vehicle. It made some noise and the defendant then ran away. Jean-Paul pursued him and stopped him. The defendant then turned around, dropped the pickaxe handle and then lunged at Jean-Paul with the fork.
"That wounded his left forearm. The defendant then went to use the bread knife but Jean-Paul grabbed it and deflected the blade but ended up with a cut on his right hand.
"Mr Birt punched the defendant, who fell backwards. It was almost certainly a heavy landing because the defendant lay there dazed until the police arrived."
Mr Birt's injuries were treated with glue or steristrips but were not serious.
The court heard that Kennedy had six previous convictions for offences of violence but the last one was 20 years ago.
Ramin Pakrooh, defending, said Kennedy had very little recollection of what happened that night because he had been drinking so much. He had a long standing problem with alcohol, dating back 30 years.
Kennedy told the court he had been dry since his arrest and remand in custody.
Judge Tabor told Kennedy it was 'laudable' that he now intended to tackle his alcoholism but for an offence involving violence with a knife on the streets there had to be an immediate jail term.
