Boss jailed for terrifying gun assault on employee in Dartford

A former company boss has been jailed after he assaulted a member of staff with a pistol and shotgun.

On the morning of Tuesday 23 May 2023 Jamie Oakes accused an employee of theft after several dirt bikes and quad bikes had been stolen from his property.

Rather than alerting Kent Police Oakes carried out an assault. He was accompanied by a woman who also joined in the attack. They took the man to the back of Oakes’ property in Green Street Green Road, Dartford, where they were reported to have punched and kicked him.

During the incident Oakes pulled the trigger of a blank firing pistol close to the side of the victim’s face which caused him to suffer a burn injury. He then returned with a shotgun and threatened to shoot the victim if they did not say where the stolen vehicles were.

Oakes, aged 37, also threatened to kill the victim’s family. The man managed to escape and returned home to his address.

At around 8.30pm he became aware that several cars were in the area and that people were looking for him. He left his address and Kent Police was informed about the incident.

On the evening of Wednesday 24 May two warrants were carried out, one at Oakes’ address in Green Street Green and the second in Hillside Road, Dartford.

Weapons

While at Oakes’ address officers found several items including a baseball bat, a large knife, several knuckle dusters, a case for a blank firing pistol, 9mm blank firing bullets, two air rifles and three shotgun cartridges.

During the warrant in Hillside, Dartford, officers found eight shotgun cartridges hidden in a bread bag inside a wardrobe. They also seized clothing which matched the description of one of the offenders.

Oakes was later charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and two counts of possession of an offensive weapon.

He denied the charges but was jailed for three-and-a-half years following a trial at Woolwich Crown Court which concluded on Friday 2 February.

A 34-year-old woman, from Dartford, was charged with assault by beating and actual bodily harm. She was given a two-year conditional discharge.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Colin Page said: 

‘This was a violent and frightening incident in which the victim was targeted by people he knew and trusted.

‘Oakes inflicted multiple injuries on the victim and used weapons to intimidate him and scare him. He did not act alone in this incident but he inflicted the most violence on the victim and his sentence is reflective of the seriousness of his offending.’