Worker spared prison after ‘cowardly attack’
A MEAT factory worker launched a “cowardly” attack on a man who was walking home.
Aaron Thomas ran at Gareth Donovan while his back was turned and knocked him to the floor in an unprovoked town centre assault which left the victim’s head bleeding.
Sentencing him at Cardiff Crown Court, Judge Nicola Jones said: “The reality is, you could have killed him.”
The court heard the assault happened in Aberdare town centre on August 26 as Mr Donovan was walking home with friends after drinking.
Lowri Wynn Morgan, prosecuting, said a woman they did not know started to shout at them and there was an argument.
She told the court: “The defendant ran at the complainant, completely unprovoked.”
The incident was caught on CCTV, which showed Thomas running at Mr Donovan from behind and knocking him to the ground.
Prosecutors said the victim declined help from medics and did not go to hospital.
Thomas was arrested and did not reply to the caution or make any admissions in his police interview, replying “no comment” to all the questions asked.
Ms Wynn Morgan said he had 17 previous offences on his criminal record, including five offences against the person.
She suggested aggravating features included the extent of the injury and the fact the victim had his back to Thomas and had no idea he was there.
The judge said to defence barrister Emma Harris: “It looks far worse on CCTV than it does on paper.
“You are really going to have to persuade me not to send him straight into custody.”
Thomas, 22, from Aberdare, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Ms Harris said his actions were “silly” and “impulsive” and he has since completed an anger management course while on remand.
She suggested he had “rather low maturity”, but is now in a relationship and working at St Merryn Meat in Merthyr Tydfil.
Ms Harris stressed her client pleaded guilty at the first opportunity, adding: “He knows he needs to address his behaviour and get his life back on track.”
In her sentencing remarks, Judge Jones said: “This was a cowardly and wicked attack on a defenceless man with his back to you.
“You ran at him from behind, pushed him full force and he went down. The force of the blow was significant. The reality is, you could have killed him.”
She asked how Thomas felt watching the footage.
He said he had cried when he saw it for the first time at the police station.
Judge Jones said she believed allowing the defendant to serve his sentence in the community, rather than behind bars, would provide a better chance of rehabilitation.
Thomas was given a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, plus 20 days of a rehabilitation activity.
He must also pay £500 in compensation and a £149 victim surcharge.