A 66-YEAR-OLD MANCHESTER MAN WHO HAS SPENT MORE TH

A 66-YEAR-OLD MANCHESTER MAN WHO HAS SPENT MORE THAN HALF HIS
LIFE IN CUSTODY WAS TOLD BY THE COURT OF APPEAL TODAY (TUES) THAT HIS
AGE GAVE GROUNDS FOR A MERCIFUL SENTENCE.

JUSTICE MICHAEL DAVIES SAID THAT TO DESCRIBE THE CRIMINAL
CONVICTIONS OF JOHN THOMAS HALLIDAY AS NUMEROUS WAS “AN
UNDERSTATEMENT.

”
“THE SENTENCES TOTAL MORE THAN 36 YEARS SO HE HAS SPENT MORE
THAN HALF HIS LIFE IN CUSTODY,” THE JUDGE SAID.

“IT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE THAT ANY SENTENCE WOULD HAVE ANY AFFECT.

“THE TRIAL JUDGE DESCRIBED HIS RECORD AS APPALLING – THE SAME
AS HIS BEHAVIOUR.

”
HALLIDAY, OF GANESMOOR CLOSE, LONGSIGHT, WAS CONVICTED ON
MARCH 13 THIS YEAR OF POSSESSING A FIREARM IN A PUBLIC PLACE, WOUNDING
WITH INTENT TO CAUSE GREVIOUS BODILY HARM AND WOUNDING WITH INTENT TO
RESIST ARREST.

HE WAS JAILED FOR FOUR YEARS.

THE COURT HEARD THAT ON JUNE 29 LAST YEAR TWO POLICE OFFICERS
VISITED HALLIDAY’S HOME.

HALLIDAY DENIED HIS REAL NAME WHEN ASKED AND RAN TO THE BACK
OF THE HOUSE.

WHEN APPROACHED BY THE OFFICERS HE DREW A PISTOL AND
TOLD THEM TO GO AWAY OR HE WOULD SHOOT.

HE RAN AGAIN AND WAS CHASED BY
ONE OF THE OFFICERS.

HE POINTED THE PISTOL AND PULLED THE TRIGGER
SEVERAL TIMES, ALTHOUGH IT WAS LATER FOUND THE WEAPON WAS INCAPABLE OF
FIRING.

HE THEN PRODUCED A SCREWDRIVER AND STABBED AT THE OFFICER,
HITTING HIM IN THE HAND AND STOMACH.

A STRUGGLE ENSUED AND THE
POLICEMAN WAS KICKED IN THE HEAD BEFORE HALLIDAY WAS FINALLY
APPREHENDED.

MR PETER WRIGHT, COUNSEL FOR HALLIDAY, IN APPEALING AGAINST
SENTENCE, SAID THE MAN MAY HAVE REACHED THE POINT WHERE FRAILTY WOULD
OVERCOME HIS CRIMINALITY.

JUSTICE DAVIES SAID THE COURT COULD NOT EMPHASISE TOO STRONGLY
THAT IN VERY FEW CASES OF WOUNDING WITH INTENT COULD IT BE SAID THAT
FOUR YEARS JAIL WAS EXCESSIVE.

“BUT THE COURT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THAT THIS WAS NOT A PRE-
MEDITATED ATTACK AND HE WAS NOT ARMED IN ADVANCE TO GO SOMEWHERE AND
CAUSE INJURY,” HE SAID.

“THE INJURIES SUFFERED BY THE POLICE OFFICER WERE MINOR AND MR
HALLIDAY IS 66 – AN AGE WHERE IT IS POSSIBLE GROUNDS FOR A MERCIFUL
SENTENCE.

”
THE FOUR-YEAR SENTENCE WAS REDUCED TO THREE YEARS.

ENDS.

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