ANIMOSITY dating back years resulted in a man out on a date in Warrington being “leathered” by another man who suddenly carried out a frenzied attack on him.
As a result the victim suffered multiple facial fractures leaving nerve damage and was now too frightened to go out in Warrington.
The victim, Josh Bethall was sitting in The Wolves public house when Matheu Hopwood appeared out of the blue and repeatedly assaulted him.
Graphic CCTV footage of the violent incident was played to Liverpool Crown Court in which 34-year-old Hopwood was seen to rush into the beer garden and attack his unwitting victim.
The young woman with Mr Bethall and a male companion tried to stop the frenzied attack but Hopwood was undeterred.
Jailing him for 27 months District Judge Jack McGarva said that he had told the author of the pre-sentence report “that you were scared of the victim and assaulted him tok get in first.
“That is not for one second the picture I get. You stormed into the pub and leathered him without even giving him a chance to speak.
“You were clearly the aggressor and I do not accept that you were scared of him. Your record of previous violence demonstrates that is a lie and you attempt to minimise what you have done wrong.”
Hopwood, of Hamilton Close, Latchford, Warrington, pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm on May 7 this year.
The court heard that at the time he was on licence after serving a nine month sentence following a domestic violence incident.
Josh Gorst, prosecuting, said that the two men had spoken on the telephone at about 1pm that day and the incident occurred at 6 pm after Mr Bethall and his date had left a restaurant and gone to the pub.
The victim suffered multiple facial fractures and in an impact statement told how he is still suffering from nerve damage.
He has no feeling in his top teeth and upper lip and he is now afraid to go into Warrington in case he met the defendant or his friends. He missed going to a funeral because Hopwood’s friends group were going.
Mr Bethall said he lost his car salesman job as a result of his injuries which affected him massively financially.
Carmel Wilde, defending, said that there was animosity between the defendant, who has ten previous convictions for 21 offences, and the victim some years ago.
He accepted the incident must have been frightening for the complainant and the witnesses and while on remand he has had time to reflect on his behaviour.
He had not long been released from prison and since his return to custody has been trying to engage in therapy to address his issues.
