A Rugby player left his elderly neighbour with a fractured eye socket in a vicious street attack. Callan McSherry, 26, attacked the pensioner after he got in between an argument with his partner, reports Grimsby Live.
The incident occurred earlier this year when the 26-year-old was involved in an altercation with his lover in his home. Grimsby Crown Court heard that the victim called the defendant out over his treatment of his partner when the disagreement spilled out onto the street.
McSherry did not take kindly to his neighbour's interjection and punched him in the face three times, knocking him to the ground. The victim sustained a fractured eye socket and the 26-year-old was arrested the same evening of the September 10 attack.
McSherry answered 'no comment' to all questions in interview before later admitting to one count of grievous bodily harm. Prosecuting, Jeremy Evans told the court that that although the neighbour initiated the violence, the attack has 'left him feeling "unsafe in [his] own home".
The injury to his eye socket has also left the pensioner potentially requiring an operation and suffering with blurred vision. Mitigating, David Godfrey said: "[McSherry] has expressed regret and remorse and is disgusted with what he did.
"He is relieved that the victim has not lost sight in his eye. He is petrified with the prospect of going to custody.
"He is really sorry and if he could turn back the clock, he would."
Sentencing, Judge Michael Fanning KC told McSherry: "It is essential that your problem with violence is addressed. That is work that needs to be done. The bottom line is, it is clear that [the victim] intervened because he was concerned with your violence against your partner when many people would have simply turned a blind eye.
"He is 65, you are 26, you are a fitter man than he is and he was prepared to challenge you. You marched across the road and asked what it was to do with him."
"The public do not want violence in the streets." McSherry was sentenced to 11 weeks in custody, suspended for 12 months.
He was ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work and was handed a 12-month restraining order which prohibits him from having any contact with the victim.
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