‘Unpleasant, violent incident’

JUDGE Sara Dodd said Andrew Fox had attacked Mr Wood for ‘absolutely no reason at all’ and that the incident continues to have a ‘significant impact upon him’.

Sentencing, she told Fox: “You don’t need me to tell you that this was the most unpleasant, violent incident in the street in the early hours of the morning just days before Christmas.

“You were so drunk that you could recall nothing of the night and in that state you attacked Mr Wood for absolutely no reason at all.

“He has suffered injuries that six months on continue to have a significant impact upon him. While they may resolve in time, issues that have already happened such as not being able to drive his terminally ill mother to hospital appointments have left him guilt-ridden.

“Having assaulted Mr Wood once you walked away and for no reason I can see you came back and stamped on his straightened out leg causing a butterfly fragment fracture.

“There is, I accept, another side to you that you are hard working and I accept your remorse, regret and your timely guilty pleas.

“I accept the consequences of the sentence that I impose will be severe but I would be failing in my public duty if I didn’t impose the appropriate sentence.”

The court heard how Fox had committed 10 previous offences, including violence and public order offences.

Defence barrister Philip Holden said Fox has shown empathy and ‘clear remorse’ and deserved full credit for his early guilty plea.

He told the court: “His pre-sentence report is a very positive document in the circumstances of this very serious offence.

“Though he has little recollection of what he did, he accepts unreservedly that which he did. He in no way, shape or form wishes to prevaricate and wants closure for both him and the complainant.

“I can’t say he is a man of good character, but the violence that appears on his record in the past is relatively minor when compared to that for which he falls to be sentenced for.

“He is a man who is ordinarily very hard working. He earns a very good wage indeed. He will lose that well-paid employment when he receives his sentence of inevitable custody.

“There’s no victim blaming here at all by the defendant. He is showing empathy with Mr Wood and clear remorse.”