Homeless man jailed for attack on guard
A HOMELESS man who was sleeping rough in the city centre racially abused then punched a security guard who told him to move on, a court heard.
Michael Orritt, 30, launched the racist tirade against the male security guard, who a judge said was ‘simply doing his job.’
Orritt was sleeping in an alleyway near Hancocks jewellers in King Street with his then girlfriend.
The security guard had been asked by his employers to tell them to move on from the area.
He told them that he would give the couple five minutes to get their belongings together, and they agreed. When the guard returned a few minutes later, they were both still there.
Prosecuting, Brian Berlyne said Orritt’s mood ‘changed suddenly,’ and he threatened to punch the security guard. By this time the woman had left. Orritt then reached into his bag and pulled out a knife.
He began to ‘wave it around’ for about 50 seconds, and the security guard said he feared he’d be stabbed.
Orritt put the knife back in his bag, but then began to racially abuse the man.
The defendant then punched the man to the face. The security guard reacted by punching him back, and dragging Orritt to the ground.
Members of the public intervened, and a nearby police officer was alerted and arrested Orritt.
The defendant, who has previous convictions for violence, is originally from Wigan but has been living on the streets of Manchester for the past 18 months, the court heard.
His barrister, John Kennerley, said Orritt claimed the security guard had put his hands on his girlfriend adding: “The defendant quite obviously took offence to this, and lost his temper.”
Mr Kennerley said having a knife is fairly common for many homeless people.
He said: “He (Orritt) had a knife because on the streets of Manchester, many people who are living rough have a knife with them for various practical reasons, and also in case of fear. He accepts he shouldn’t have had the knife, but he did.”
Orritt pleaded guilty to one count of racially aggravated common assault and one count of threatening with a knife.
Judge Martin Walsh jailed Orritt for 12 months at Manchester Crown Court.
The judge said: “Nobody who walks through the streets of Manchester could have anything other than some considerable degree of sympathy for the plight of those who are forced to sleep rough on the streets of our city.
“There are often many complex reasons as to why people are homeless.
“But that does not provide any excuse for the conduct that occurred on that occasion,” he said.