A man has been spared prison for a violent attack outside a Highworth pub.
James Gray launched a brutal assault on a man after waiting for him near The Saracen’s Head, prosecutor Keith Ballinger told Swindon Magistrates’ Court on 15 September.
During the incident on 7 October, the 59-year-old repeatedly punched his victim before battering him with a wooden pole in the Brewery Street Car Park.
The victim was on the phone to his wife at the time, who was in hospital having suffered a heart attack. She “heard every blow” inflicted by the defendant.
He sustained bruising across his body and a split lip, which required stitches. He said he often goes to bed thinking about the assault, dreams out it and wakes up thinking about it too.
Mr Ballinger said that the victim “didn’t fight back” and managed to get away after about five minutes, when Gray has finished his unprovoked attack.
In custody, he made admissions – telling officers that he was “annoyed” by the victim following a conversation earlier that day. He also said the allegation of him having a baseball bat was “rubbish”.
Gray said that the victim had been “condescending” towards him and it left him “upset”.
The defendant, of Edencroft, Highworth, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.
Emma Hillier, defending, said her client “regrets his actions and is extremely remorseful for what occurred”. Adding: “It really was a one off” incident that “got out of hand on this particular day”.
She explained that a period of immediate custody would affect his 14-year-old daughter, who is “very reliant on him” – stating “the impact on her would be massive”.
The magistrates imposed a 42-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and was told to complete a curfew between 6pm and 12am daily.
Gray was also told to complete 20 rehabilitation activity days, pay costs of £85 and a £154 surcharge.
