A Penrith man jailed for 45 months 14 years ago for a vicious throat slit attack floored the same victim with a punch outside a Penrith pub.
Police were contacted on September 3 by an ambulance crew who stated that Michael Thompson had reported being assaulted the previous evening. He had suffered injuries to his face and leg.
Officers attended and learned Mr Thompson was punched outside The Pinny, Burrowgate, by 39-year-old Andrew Paul Hall.
Mr Thompson recalled standing outside the pub having a cigarette when Hall stood behind him. “He asked the defendant not to do so,” prosecutor Pam Ward told Carlisle Magistrates’ Court, “because he (Mr Thompson) had previously been assaulted some years ago.”
The court heard Hall floored Mr Thompson, who saw his attacker running away from him. He was helped to his feet by bystanders.
A door supervisor saw Mr Thompson in the aftermath with a burst lip. The incident was captured on CCTV.
Hall was later arrested and interviewed. “He said he slit his (Mr Thompson’s) throat many years ago and went to jail for it,” said Mrs Ward.
Hall had said: “He threatened me so I lamped him.” But Mrs Ward told magistrates: “The Crown’s case is that there were no threats by the injured party.”
The court heard Hall was sentenced in 2008 for wounding, having slashed the same complainant’s throat with a knife.
Hall admitted assault by beating. Chris Toms, giving mitigation, said there had been “something of a feud” between the men well over a decade ago. Hall had not seen Mr Thompson for years, and hadn’t recognised him until he saw him outside the pub.
Mr Thompson, alleged Mr Toms, had “said words to Hall”, of whom the lawyer added: “He accepts that he reacted badly to what he assessed to be aggressive talk, rather than fear of violence. He basically pushed him and hit him.”
Mr Toms spoke of the recent positive “transformation” of Hall, who had “given up drugs, got in control of the drink and co-operated fully with services”. He was poised to pursue structured rehabilitation away from Penrith.
Hall was made subject to a community order, must comply with an electronically monitored night time curfew until November 14 and pay Mr Thompson £50 compensation.
