18-year-old jailed after attacking teen with 'Walking Dead' bat
A Derbyshire youth will be spending eight years behind bars for the premeditated attack on a teenager which has left him disabled.
Influenced by the apocalyptic television series "Walking Dead," 18-year-old John Callis-Woolsey used a baseball bat with nails driven into it to attack another teenager known only as Oscar. Derby Crown Court sentenced Callis-Woolsey after he pleaded guilty to assault occasioning grievous bodily harm with intent and conspiracy to commit robbery. The young man will be spending eight years in prison while his victim has been left disabled for life.
On November 13, 2018 Callis-Woolsey and his friend, Kyle Cullen, had planned a meeting with Oscar. Oscar's friend had driven him to the meeting place in Millennium Gardens, off Chapel Lane. The younger boy was clueless that the duo had planned to attack him.
Callis-Woolsey carried a baseball bat with the word "Lucille" on it. To emulate the bat used by "Walking Dead" character Negan to smash zombies, Callis-Woolsey hammered in 24 sharp nails onto the top of the bat. As soon as they met Oscar, he was hit on the head thrice with the weapon. Oscar managed to run back to his friend's vehicle, and they drove back to Oscar's home.
As they were driving away, Callis-Woolsey and Cullen were seen doing the dance move known as the "floss." The dance move has been made popular by the Fortnite video game, where characters do the dance after defeating enemies. Oscar's mother pointed out that both boys had been heavily influenced by violent shows and games.
After the incident, Oscar was airlifted to Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham. The teen suffered permanent brain damage, which could not be mitigated after surgery. Having spent nine months in hospital, the victim returned home to a highly altered life.
Oscar's mother had to quit her job to take care of her son, as he will require full-time care for the rest of his life.
Callis-Woolsey was sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to the charges against him. Cullen received a 12-month detention and training order for pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery. The Daily Mail reported that both the defendants wrote letters of apology for their crimes. While sentencing the young man, Judge Nirmal Shant reminded Callis-Woolsey of the impact his actions have left behind.
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