Boxer’s victim was ‘punchbag’
A BOXER left a young man needing surgery after ‘using him as a punchbag’ for ‘no apparent reason’ during a brutal street attack.
Kian Winstanley punched the 22-year-old several times to the face, after the attacker and his friends had been asked to leave a pub in Bury.
The victim had been out with family celebrating a birthday when they came across ‘angry’ Winstanley and his group.
Winstanley, 19, had been in the pub all afternoon and had taken cocaine,
Manchester Crown Court heard.
His group began hurling abuse towards the victim and his friends in the street in Tottington.
After Winstanley, his friend Aaron Rigby, also 19, and others left the Waggonmakers Arms pub at about 11pm on a Saturday, they began following the victim and two friends.
One of their group started hurling abuse towards the victim.
“That abuse was for no apparent reason,” said the judge, Recorder Peter Wright KC. They told the group they didn’t want any trouble but
Winstanley pursued them and he began punching the victim, hitting him in the head three times.
The judge said Winstanley was ‘spoiling for a fight.’ “I am quite satisfied you were using him as a punchbag,” Recorder Wright said.
Following the attack on July 10 last year, the 22-year-old victim suffered a fractured eye socket.
He had surgery and a needed plate to reconstruct his socket. He has been left with a permanent scar.
Winstanley, of Tottington Road, Bury, pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm, while Rigby, of Fernview Drive, Tottington, admitted a public order offence.
Winstanley received an 18-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.
He was ordered to carry out 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days, 150 hours of unpaid work and must pay his victim £1,750 in compensation.
Rigby was sentenced to a 12-month community order, including 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 120 hours of unpaid work.