Huddersfield businessman jailed after row over taxi turned to violence

A businessman has been jailed for six years after he left a promising rugby union player scarred for life when he slashed his arm in a confrontation over a taxi.

Philip Kefford was found guilty by a jury last week of wounding Scott Nicholl with intent in the early hours of Christmas Eve last year.

The 37-year-old, of Jim Lane, Huddersfield who employs seven people in a tattoo business, had claimed self defence.

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Sentencing him at Leeds Crown Court, Judge Geoffrey Marson QC said: “There won’t be a single person that has heard this case or had anything to do with it who would disagree with the proposition that it is a tragedy all round.”

He said having heard the evidence it was clear it was the complainant’s group who had the right to the taxi but those with Kefford did not appreciate that and two girls in his party got into the vehicle.

Some of the complainant’s group then got in and sat on their knees and believing the taxi might move off Kefford followed.

But once inside the vehicle he deliberately squeezed Mr Nicholl’s drink causing it “to go everywhere which inflamed the whole situation and as a result he hit you”.

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The judge said Kefford had two teeth chipped as a result and was bleeding from his mouth while his brother was assaulted by someone else.

“But you could have walked away and should have; instead you retaliated by opening up that weapon which you had in your hand.”

Judge Marson said that was a multi tool and it was not known which blade he used to cause the injury.

But he added “it must have been a fearsome blow since we know the extent of the wound, right across the arm and cutting the muscles, nerves and tendons causing very significant bleeding and going down to the bone”.

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He said the consequences for Mr Nicholl were grave. He had undergone two operations totalling eight hours, physiotherapy and is to see the surgeon again since he is still facing significant problems while his rugby future had gone.

Richard Canning, prosecuting, said the victim had also been off work two weeks as a result of his injury

Judge Marson said he accepted there had been some provocation, and that Kefford was normally a hard-working man who did not seek confrontation and who had done a great deal of work for 
charity but there had to be a jail term.

Yunus Valli, for Kefford, said he felt genuine remorse for his actions.

He had never troubled the police before and was of positive good character having supported many charities including Cancer Research and Kirkwood Hospice.

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