Justice Delivered: Two Men Jailed for Savage Assault

The victim spent a week in intensive care after being run over during a parcel theft in Sunderland, while two offenders have now been jailed following a Northumbria Police investigation.

A delivery driver was badly hurt while doing his normal morning deliveries in Sunderland. What started as a car theft turned into a violent attack.

The incident happened on the morning of Tuesday, December 16, as the driver was delivering parcels in Stannington Gardens. Police said a car pulled into the street before 42-year-old Michael Gill, also known as Bobby, climbed into the victim’s delivery vehicle intending to steal it and its contents.

As the driver ran towards the van in an attempt to stop the theft, Gill drove the vehicle directly into him, knocking him to the ground before driving away. Waiting in the suspects’ car was 43-year-old Gary Rarity, who quickly took over the driver’s seat of their own vehicle and fled the scene.

The victim, a man in his 50s, was left lying in the road with serious head injuries. He spent a week in intensive care and has only just left hospital. Police said he continues to require ongoing support after suffering permanent injuries.

Officers later recovered the stolen delivery vehicle abandoned on Aysgarth Avenue. Investigators established that Gill and Rarity had met nearby after the attack to transfer the stolen parcels into their own car.

Police arrested both men within days. At first they denied any involvement, but they were later charged with several offences.

At Newcastle Crown Court in April, Gill, of Cairo Street, Sunderland, admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving, theft, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

Rarity, of Brick Garth, Houghton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit theft, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

Gill was sentenced on June 10 to three years and seven months in prison. He was also banned from driving for a further four years and nine-and-a-half months, having already been disqualified when the offences were committed.

Rarity was sentenced on Tuesday to seven months in prison and received a two-year and 10-week driving ban.

Detective Inspector Ash Loader, of Northumbria Police’s Major Investigation Team, said his thoughts remained with the victim, who had been targeted while simply doing his job.

He said officers had worked tirelessly to bring those responsible to justice, with hours of CCTV footage and other evidence ultimately leaving both men with little option but to plead guilty.

Detective Inspector Loader said using a vehicle as a weapon was “completely unacceptable.”

He added that the case showed the devastating and lifelong harm dangerous driving can cause. Loader said Northumbria Police remain committed to tackling violent crime and bringing offenders to court.