‘I’m not your dog’ – thug headbutted workmate
Victim, 64, left with broken nose and cheekbone after incident
A THUG told a 64-year-old colleague “I’m not your dog” before headbutting and punching him in the face, a court heard.
Mehul Lodhia, 30, turned violent on his workmate at a mobile phone repair and recycling business in Lutterworth in November last year.
His victim suffered a broken nose, fractured cheekbone and was left struggling to sleep and was coughing up blood days after the assault, prosecutor Andrew Vout told Leicester Crown Court.
The victim worked on a line repairing mobile phones and had been with the company, on the Magna Park industrial estate, for 15 years, Mr Vout said.
Lodhia, who had been with the company for two years, was receiving handsets from his victim and taking them to a different department on the afternoon of Friday, November 1.
But towards the end of the day, he lost his temper and swore at the older man.
He then headbutted him once and followed this up with a punch to head.
Mr Vout said: “The victim had passed multiple mobile phones to him when the defendant said ‘I’m not your dog’ and walked away.
“The victim was shocked because he’d never had any problems with Lodhia before.
“Lodhia returned a few minutes later and the victim asked ‘why are you shouting at me?’.
“Lodhia replied ‘Don’t talk to me’, swore and then leaned back and headbutted him. He quickly followed this up by punching him in the left side of his face with a clenched fist.”
Mr Vout added the blow caused the victim to fall back “in a lot of pain” and he was left “bleeding heavily”.
Lodhia, who walked away and was later escorted off the premises, has previous convictions, including offences of violence, Mr Vout added.
He was later interviewed by police but made no comment.
Lodhia, of Lindsay Road, Rowley Fields, Leicester, admitted GBH at an earlier hearing and appeared at the crown court last week to be sentenced.
His solicitor Sarah Cornish told the court: “He had worked with this gentleman without any problems.
“I asked him what was the catalyst for this offence and he said it had been a long week, it was a Friday afternoon and he was stressed.
“He simply lost his temper. He is remorseful and wishes to apologise to the gentleman.
“He has voluntarily paid for private counselling and has attended five sessions, including anger management and how to deal with difficult situations.
“So he’s made attempts to deal with something he realises is a problem.”
He is also keen to use his savings to pay compensation to him, Ms Cornish said.