A Penrith grandad punched a man twice after being told his victim had struck a family member.
Kim Gilmour (61), appeared in court for the first time in his life after an incident in the town centre on 16th February.
Carlisle Magistrates’ Court heard the assault victim had been at Penrith’s bus station.
There he was involved in an altercation with a group of youths who were spitting at him. A female had tried to punch him.
The man walked away, intending to catch a train instead, but was followed by the youths.
Outside a pub in the Burrowgate area he was grabbed by someone wearing high visibility clothing. CCTV then showed a female who appeared distressed approaching another bystander, Gilmour, and speaking to him.
Prosecutor George Shelley told the court: “Mr Gilmour then becomes involved. He approaches (the man) at which point he punches him twice to the face.
“He did sustain injury, quite significant swelling to one of his eyes, and a cut to his mouth.”
In a police interview, Gilmour, of Mill Street, Penrith, made full admissions, accepting he struck the man twice.
A man of previous good character, he admitted a charge of assault by beating.
In court, Gilmour — not legally represented — said he was told his granddaughter had been previously hit by the man.
“I didn’t get the full story. I went to protect my granddaughter,” he told a district judge. “That’s when I went down to intervene.”
Gilmour, a bin wagon driver, was fined £400 and must pay £100 compensation to the man he assaulted.
District judge John Temperley said he was “confident” Gilmour’s offence had been a “one-off”.
“It is, of course, highly regrettable, that a man of your age who has been in trouble before should appear in court for something like this,” the judge told him.
“Make this the one and only time you appear in this court.”
