Benjamin Wilson: Son Sentenced To Six Years In Jail For Attacking Father With Hammer To Defend Abused Mother

Benjamin Wilson has been sentenced to six years of jail for an act that he considers self defense. The 22-year-old’s mother reportedly suffered years of abuse at the hands of his father, Craig, and he’d had enough.

According to Mirror, Benjamin attacked his abusive father with a hammer to stop him from further abusing his mother. He stated that he heard commotion upstairs that consisted of yelling and objects being thrown, so he grabbed the hammer and raced upstairs. He reportedly struck his father with the hammer at least five times.

Paramedics reportedly found the father “conscious but not alert with multiple holes in his head and face.” As a result of the brutal beating, the 46-year-old father reportedly suffered brain damage and fractures to his jaws, eye sockets, forehead, and nose. The injuries also left his father with permanent disfiguration.

While Benjamin’s jail sentence was quite shocking for some, he could have received much more time in prison. However, his father’s history of abuse may have helped his case. Gazette Live reports that Craig, described in court as a “Jekyll and Hyde,” previously served two years in jail for assaulting his wife. According to Benjamin’s testimony in the Teesside Crown Court, his father would fly off in drunken rages and take his anger out on his mother. He’d reportedly witnessed his mother being brutally attacked for years and had simply reached his breaking point, reports the Darlington and Stockton Times.

Although Benjamin’s father had a history of abuse and the incident was a form of self defense, his six-year sentence has received mixed opinions. While some feel the beating was extremely excessive and six years in prison is not enough for the crime he committed, many others feel his actions were justified and he should not have received any jail time for defending his mother. As a matter of fact, there’s even a petition that has been launched on his behalf via Change.org.

Here’s the description for the “Free Ben Wilson” petition.

“Ben tried to protect his mother from harm from his father of years of abuse. Ben got 6 years for protecting his mother and himself from an abusive man under the influence of alcohol. Ben has a recently become a father and is not going to be able to bring his child up and give him a better life than what he was brought up in. Save this boy from more years of torcher he has suffered enough and his family. His father should suffer not him. [sic]”

Although Benjamin could have received a minimum sentence of nine years, his sentence was reduced to six years because he plead guilty.

Do you think Benjamin Wilson’s actions were excessive or justified? Share your thoughts.

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