A man has been warned to expect a prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to driving his car into a person in Southend.
Leon Makumbi, 29, of Burford Way in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, pleaded guilty on Wednesday (August 26) to inflicting grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent.
The incident occurred in Southend on April 5, Basildon Crown Court heard.
Prosecutor Toby Roseman asked the court not to proceed immediately to sentence, saying police were in the process of obtaining a victim impact statement.
“From the ABE [police interview] that we do have, there are comments that suggest perhaps quite lasting damage has been caused,” he said.
If that was right, said Judge Samantha Cohen, the sentencing starting point would be seven years, with a range of between six and ten.
Any sentence would be aggravated by Makumbi’s criminal record, which included “a number of offences, largely concerning driving and also drugs – in particular, the supply of cannabis,” she added.
The judge warned: “It will be a sentence, inevitably, of immediate custody and the only question then will be length.”
But defence barrister Martyn Hynes pushed back on that, suggesting there was substantial mitigation.
“At the time this offence occurred, the complainant was armed with a rather lengthy kitchen knife,” he said.
Asked whether the prosecution accepted that claim, Mr Roseman said the victim did appear to be “wielding a weapon” in CCTV footage.
Judge Cohen agreed the order a probation pre-sentence report and adjourned sentencing to October, to allow for Makumbi to be interviewed and the report to be written.
“I make it absolutely crystal clear that this is in no way any kind of promise or undertaking that the final sentence will not be immediate custody,” she said.
“That is by far the most likely outcome.”
She ordered the prosecution to serve the victim personal statement and any supporting medical evidence before October 5.
Both sides must then produce “sentencing notes”, outlining where they say the offence falls in sentencing guidelines.
The court will make the final adjudication and pass sentence two weeks later.
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