Clacton dad wins appeal against thug's sentence after attack on his son

Zachary Jagger, 27, attacked father-of-two Paul Filtness in the toilets of a Clacton bar back in February 2019.

Jagger slashed the victim, who was a stranger to him, across the face with a bladed belt.

At a sentencing hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court in August, Judge David Turner KC said Mr Filtness, 38, was left with a "grave laceration" spanning 15cm from his temple to his chin.

The wound was "2cm to 3cm deep" and cut through fat and muscle.

Mr Filtness was left "scarred, shocked and permanently damaged", and still deals with the mental and physical fallout from the attack three years on.

Jagger, of Alton Park Road, Clacton, was again out “looking for trouble” in Clacton in November 2021, this time with accomplice 29-year-old Charlie Hearn.

Jailed - Zachary Jagger (Image: Newsquest)

After trying to force their way into a private party, the pair were caught up in a large street fight.

Jagger drove his car at a woman "on several occasions", knocking her backwards a distance of 6ft. She suffered a double leg fracture.

Hearn used a knife to slash one man across the back, leaving him with "a thoroughly ugly cut, with stitches".

Judge Turner said: "You were to threaten, with the knife, another individual in an ugly way.

"You were involved in the same fight as was Mr Jagger and that, among other things, involved the punching and kicking of a female.

"Then you too were involved in a wounding of [a woman], slashing her with a Stanley knife to the face.

"This too is grave offending."

Accomplice - Charlie Hearn (Image: Newsquest)

Jagger admitted charges of wounding with intent, affray, dangerous driving, causing grievous bodily harm with intent and perverting the course of justice.

He was deemed a dangerous offender and given an extended sentence, comprising six years imprisonment and an extended licence period of four years.

Hearn, of Oakmead Road, Point Clear, admitted charges of wounding without intent, affray, making threats with a knife and wounding with intent.

He was sentenced to four years behind bars.

Mr Filtness’ father, Paul senior, appealed the sentences under the unduly lenient sentence scheme.

The case was referred to the Court of Appeal and heard on November 3.

The court found both sentences to be unduly lenient.

Jagger’s sentence was increased to 13 years’ imprisonment with an extended licence of 3 years, while Hearn was ordered to serve a sentence of 6 years’ imprisonment with a 3-year extended licence.

Paul senior said the successful appeal showed the “wheels of justice are still turning”.

“While it’s never going to be enough, it is something,” he said.

“The justice system gets a bashing and we always hear about the not so great things, but it’s at times like this where you want to shout about the good things.

“I didn’t tell Paul I was going to appeal. He just wants to finally put this all behind him.

“When I told him about the result, he was pleased, but said ‘dad, do you know what? I just want to be done with it all’.”

Speaking after the hearing, solicitor general Michael Tomlinson MP said: “These were intensely vicious attacks that left the victims with serious wounds, with some needing hospital treatment.

“I did not believe that the original sentences adequately reflected the violent nature of the offending that occurred, so I welcome the decision of the Court of Appeal to sentence both Jagger and Hearn to longer sentences.”