A former Chester City FC independent supporters association chairman and one-time parliamentary candidate for the city has been jailed for spraying a man with CS gas and stabbing him during a brutal burglary.
George Rogers, who was also a former chairman of Chester Ladies FC, and his mental health nurse girlfriend Sherrine Williams broke into Martin Kermode's home in Flintshire and subjected him to a vicious attach during the early hours of May 12 this year.
Mold Crown Court heard that 45-year-old Mr Kermode had gone to bed but could hear people and found Williams and Rogers at the foot of the stairs who said 'you know what this is about'.
When he asked what was going on, Williams lunged at Mr Kermode and sprayed him with a CS gas canister leaving him with burning eyes.
Mr Kermode told them he didn’t know what was going on, then Rogers, who stood as an independent candidate for Chester in the 2001 general election, stabbed him in the abdomen with a knife.
He managed to wrestle the knife away from Rogers and went to the door to scream for help, but then Williams stabbed him in the arm.
The two defendants laughed and then left.
Neighbours came round to Mr Kermode’s house hearing his pleas for help and could still feel the effects of the CS gas, the court heard.
Police were called and they discovered a knife covered with blood at his house. They also found Williams and Rogers drunk at a house on Brunswick Road in Buckley and discovered a CS spray behind a photo.
In the courts
Mr Kermode suffered a 4cm wound to his abdomen, 1cm wound to his arm and puncture wound to his thigh.
Williams, 43, of Brunswick Road, Buckley, and Rogers, 62, of Mountain View Avenue, Mynydd Isa, both admitted charges of aggravated burglary and inflicting grievous bodily harm.
The court heard Williams, who had been a mental health nurse for 20 years, and Kermode had an on-off relationship and the mental health nurse had recently started a relationship with Rogers.
Williams had told Rogers she wanted to recover a £600 debt, which Mr Kermode later denied owing.
Prosecutor David Mainstone said the incident had left Mr Kermode feeling 'broken', anxious, depressed and worried about reprisals.
Matthew Dunford acting for Williams said she was a person of good character who had a history of depression and alcohol abuse and was remorseful.
Anna Pope acting for Rogers also said he was a person of good character who contributed positively to society over the years and embarked on charity work.
They both said the attack was 'out of character' for their clients.
Judge David Hale said: “You Williams sprayed Mr Kermode with CS spray, then Rogers stabbed him in the abdomen and then Williams stuck him in the bicep.
“This is an extremely serious offence.”
They were both given three years in prison, ordered to pay a victim impact surcharge of £170 and received a restraining order not to approach the victim.
