Lotto lout, 29, who won £1million on scratchcard spared jail after brutal attack on car wash boss

A lottery millionaire has been spared jail after he took part in a savage baseball attack on a car wash owner.  

Jacob Hodge – who won a £1million jackpot two years ago – joined his two brothers in the garage assault after complaining that one of their cars were damaged.

Along with twin Joshua, 29, and brother Jamie, 31, he stormed the car wash in Caldicot, Gwent, for the ‘sickening attack’ on the owner Bahroz Saeed.   

They went ‘mob-handed’ armed with a baseball bat to kick and punch the businessman, leaving him unconscious.

Prosecutor Paul Hewitt said violence flared because Joshua claimed Mr Saeed was responsible for causing damage to his prized Audi car.  

He said: ‘It was in the middle of the day and people were present. It was serious and sustained violence. 

‘One witness described the attack as sickening.’

Newport Crown Court heard Joshua told him, ‘go back to your own country’ although he was never charged with any racially-aggravated offence.

Mr Saeed had fought back and hit Jacob with a spade before he was taken to Newport’s Royal Gwent Hospital to be treated for head and rib injuries.

In a victim impact statement, he said: ‘I no longer feel safe in Caldicot so I had to sell the business. I have lost trust in people and I feel nervous and on edge.’ 

The three brothers all pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm and affray on November 16, 2018, and Jacob also admitted possession of an offensive weapon.

All three were jailed for 12 months, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work. 

All the defendants were each ordered to pay £500 costs each and a £140 victim surcharge.  

The three brothers were spared going straight to jail partly because of the ‘substantial’ delay in the case coming to court.

Judge Daniel Williams slammed Gwent Police’s investigation of the 2018 assault as ‘inept’.

Judge Williams told the defendants: ‘The three of you went mob-handed and you set upon your victim. You kicked and punched him.

‘It was a sustained assault with the use of a weapon. This was mindless group violence.’ 

Jacob Hodge won £1 million on a National Lottery scratchcard in May 2018 – just two weeks after setting up his own gardening business.

His £1m scratchard came just days after starting his Garden Force company with his life savings.

He decided to pack in his fledgling gardening business to concentrate on enjoying his winnings with his young family, girlfriend Aimee Dayment, 27, and their five-year-old son.