News Drunk man punched stranger in street
A man lashed out at a stranger in the street after having an argument with his partner, a court was told.
Wayne Bradley Savage punched 20-year-old Daniel Woodhouse in the face so hard that the blow knocked him to the ground, Goole magistrates heard.
Mr Savage (25), who was said to have been "extremely drunk" at the time, was arrested and charged with assaulting Mr Woodhouse by beating him.
He appeared at Goole Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, where he pleaded guilty to the offence.
Julie-Laverack-Glanville, prosecuting, said the incident happened at about 1am on June 8 this year.
She added that Mr Woodhouse had met up with five friends and was heading to Amigos takeaway on Pasture Road where they saw a man and a woman walking ahead of them.
Mr Woodhouse said the woman - Mr Savage's girlfriend - was shouting and swearing at her boyfriend, who was eating food from a takeaway carton.
Mrs Laverack-Glanville said the six friends agreed they should keep away from Mr Savage because it appeared to them that he could "kick of" at any moment.
She added: "All of a sudden the female stopped shouting at Mr Savage and turned and asked the group (of friends) if one of them had a lighter."
Mrs Laverack-Glanville said one of the boys handed her a lighter but then, "without provocation", Mr Savage spun round and punched Mr Woodhouse in the mouth with a clenched fist, knocking him to the ground.
Mr Savage, of Western Road, Goole, then went "a little wild" and started swinging his arms around until police arrived to arrest him.
While being quizzed by police, Mr Savage told them he had been out for a drink in Doncaster with his girlfriend, then returned to Goole in a taxi.
He later met up with his girlfriend in Goole and they proceeded to have an argument, said Ms Laverack-Glanville.
She added that Mr Savage was "extremely drunk" and the argument darkened his mood even more.
The father-of-one told police that he had passed about seven people - five males and two females - next to a takeaway, who he claimed didn't move to let him and his girlfriend pass by.
He claimed he heard the group laughing and joking as they passed, and that they were being abusive to his girlfriend.
Mr Savage, who has three previous convictions for assault, said he "punched the first male that was there" and wasn't aiming for any particular part of the body.
He claimed the entire group was grabbing at him and trying to push him away, ripping his shirt in the process.
Ms Laverack-Glanville said Mr Woodhouse was left with a swollen bottom lip and a cut to his finger.
Michael Robinson, defending, said Mr Savage's recollection of the incident had been blurred by drink.
Magistrates fined Mr Savage £500 and ordered him to pay £200 compensation to his victim, as well as a £15 victim surcharge. He was also made to pay £55 prosecution costs.
Published on 17th July 2008 in News.
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