A MAN cleared of a shooting at a York caravan site last year was today awaiting sentence for fracturing a man's skull with a baseball bat outside a nightclub.
Karl Gaskin, 30, formerly of York and now of no fixed address, pleaded guilty at Hull Crown Court to attacking a man called Philip Hunter on July 10, 2002. It is understood that the victim suffered a fractured skull and that Gaskin escaped afterwards.
Gaskin's wife, Soraya, has admitted driving dangerously. The prosecution alleged she did so from Low Ousegate to James Street, York, where the couple used to live.
She denied an allegation that she drove her husband away from the scene of his crime in a bid to help him escape justice.
The prosecution asked for the charge to remain on her record, but not as a criminal conviction.
Last year Gaskin stood trial at York Crown Court for the alleged attempted murder of Robert James at the James Street caravan site.
The prosecution alleged that he tried to shoot the other man with a shotgun during a feud between two families, that erupted into violence at a wedding reception in York and continued at the site the same evening. The jury acquitted him and two of his relatives who faced related charges.
Yesterday Gaskin pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent and he was remanded in custody while psychiatric and pre-sentence reports were prepared. He is expected to be sentenced at the end of February.
His wife, 28, asked for dock officers to sit between the pair in the dock. She is now living at a secret address after she alleged domestic violence from her husband.
Yesterday her barrister, Paul Williams, revealed that she intended to continue her denials of all charges that she faced on the grounds that she had acted out of fear of Karl Gaskin.
Today Soraya Gaskin pleaded guilty to driving dangerously in Low Ousegate, Clifford Street, Tower Street, Fishergate, Paragon Road, Barbican Road, Lawrence Street and James Street on July 10.
Mr Williams said she did so on the basis that the dangerous driving was only in James Street.
The prosecution did not accept that, but had decided it was not in the public interest to make her stand trial to decide how long she had driven dangerously.
Soraya Gaskin's case was adjourned until the start of February while a pre-sentence report was prepared.
Updated: 16:01 Tuesday, January 14, 2003
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