Head injury suffered in bike incident

A cyclist suffered a serious head injury after being pushed to the ground during an argument about ownership of his £1,650 electric bike.

The victim left his home in Loughborough at 4.30pm, on June 29, intending to visit a shop, Leicester Crown Court was told.

Craig Lawson confronted the cyclist in Sharpley Road, in the town, wrongly accusing him of stealing his electric bike.

Caroline Bray, prosecuting, said: “There was a verbal altercation during which the defendant pushed the victim to the floor, causing him to strike his head on the pavement.”

As the rider lay on the ground awaiting treatment, 37-year-old Lawson made off with the bicycle.

The court heard the victim was discharged from hospital following a CT scan but later found out he had sustained a bleed on the brain and received treatment.

Lawson, of Park Road, Loughborough, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm and theft of the ebike.

Claire Fraser, mitigating, said: “He accepts he confronted the complainant mistakenly. He accepts he unlawfully pushed him causing him to fall and hit his head.

“The defendant put him in the recovery position at the scene.”

Lawson then took the bicycle, almost as an afterthought, the court was told.

Miss Fraser said: “The defendant hasn’t committed an offence of violence for a significant period of time.”

Sentencing, Judge Robert Brown said: “This was an unpleasant incident.

“The victim’s bike was stolen while he was unconscious on the floor awaiting treatment.”

The judge told Lawson: “What you did was nasty and spiteful and it led to a serious injury.

“You have 62 offences on your criminal record over the past 15 years, for persistent offending including violence, such as common assault and affray, as well as thefts and motoring matters.”

Lawson was jailed for 12 months.