Man gets suspended sentence for attack on dog walker (From Craven Herald)

Man gets suspended sentence for attack on dog walker

8:00am Thursday 31st January 2013 in News

A Skipton man with an “horrendous” record of violence towards innocent people has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Phillip Lee, 27, attacked a man out walking his dog on Christmas Day following an argument with his mother, Skipton magistrates heard.

Lee, who at the time was subject to two court orders for previous assaults, had been thrown out of the family home after a drink fuelled family row, the court was told.

He had been on his way to Rombalds Moor via a ginnel off the Moorview estate where he intended to spend the night, when he came across 63-year-old Barry Simpson, who was walking his dog.

Prosecuting, Caroline Midgley said Lee, who was in front, kept turning around and staring at the older man and then started shouting at him.

There was a verbal altercation and then Lee started throwing punches at Mr Simpson, who ended up on his back with Lee over him punching him in the face.

Mrs Midgley said the older man managed to get away and call the police, and while he was at home giving details, Lee knocked at the door to apologise.

Mr Simpson was taken to hospital where he was treated for cuts to an ear and lower lip and possible cracked ribs.

Lee, who admitted assault by beating, had an “appalling record” over the last two years for violence towards other people, the court was told.

In mitigation, Jane Nield said Lee accepted he was largely to blame for the incident.

She said he had spent Christmas with his family and had returned home with his mother when they had started a serious argument.

“She had asked him to leave and he had set off to Rombalds Moor with the intention to spend the night out camping,” said Mrs Nield.

She said he had become suspicious of Mr Simpson, who he had described as 6ft 2ins tall, and had become increasingly paranoid.

The pair had “locked into” each other, there was a tussle and Lee had walked off.

He had then thought better of it and had returned with the intention of apologising, said Mrs Nield.

Lee, who in December was given a 12-month community order for assaulting his brother, had a serious problem with binge drinking that could last for days, she said.

He was being seen by Craven Organisation for Drugs and Alcohol (CODA) and was prone to suspicious thoughts.

Magistrates told Lee, of Airedale Avenue, that he had an appalling record and that he had been in breach of two orders when he had attacked Mr Simpson.

They revoked his previous orders and sentenced him to four months in prison suspended for 18 months.

He was also given 18 months supervision and ordered to carry out 240 hours unpaid work.

He must pay costs of £85 and compensation to Mr Simpson of £100.