On 26 September 2024, a jury unanimously convicted
Phillip Adams and
Patrick James of conspiracy to inflict grievous bodily harm on NHS worker
Katungua Tjitendero, after he was struck by a blue Honda Accord car as he walked along the pavement to a bus stop near Southmead Hospital in Bristol on the afternoon of 22 July 2020 after his shift.
Phillip Adams who is believed to been the driver of the Honda that knocked down
Katungua Tjitendero fled to Dubai ahead of his trial and was sentenced in his absence on earlier today to six years in prison, while
Phillip Adams was jailed for eight years and six months.
Phillip Adams was also convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent in relation to a similar attack in Avonmouth, Bristol, on 12 July 2020 in which cyclist
Julian Ford was hit by a car as he cycled along a pavement.
Julian Ford suffered a rib fracture, a haemothorax, a lung injury and blood in his chest. The attack on him only came to light after
Patrick James was arrested in connection with the attack on
Katungua Tjitendero and a video was recovered from his mobile phone which showed a car mounting the pavement and hitting a cyclist.
After
Katungua Tjitendero was hit,
Phillip Adams and
Patrick James - one wearing a Scream mask and the other a balaclava or scarf - ran from the car.
They were seen
giving each other a thumbs-up and appeared to be congratulating themselves about what they had done, their trial heard.
Two other men,
Jordan McCarthy and
Daniel Whereatt denied a charge of conspiracy to inflict grievous bodily harm on
Katungua Tjitendero and were acquitted by the jury.
Patrick James was jailed for eight years and six months after being convicted of conspiracy to inflict grievous bodily harm on
Katungua Tjitendero.
Phillip Adams was jailed in his absence for six years for the attack on
Katungua Tjitendero. The police believe he is in Dubai.
Judge Moira Macmillan said:
“A racial slur was used by one of you. This was a terrible thing to do to another person, let alone to celebrate it.
“It is very hard for those who have heard the evidence to understand your behaviour and
your motivation.”