MAN KNOCKED ELDERLY MAN UNCONSCIOUS IN NOISE ROW IN FARTOWN
An elderly man was knocked unconscious by his son's neighbour in a row over noise.The 62-year-old was struck in the face by Jason Stephens, resulting in him hitting some concrete flooring after being punched.
Kirklees magistrates were told that Stephens, who suffers from severe headaches, had been involved in a dispute with the victim's son.
Although he denied assault occasioning actual bodily harm, he was found guilty after a trial in Huddersfield.
Prosecutor Vanessa Jones explained that police responded to an incident on December 5, 2017, on Bradford Road in Fartown, where they encountered the assaulted 62-year-old man in an ambulance, with his son present.
The son's account detailed that his father had come to collect him for home repairs.
As they both got into a vehicle, Stephens came out of his address to confront the son regarding parking issues, and then began shouting at them.
When the father intervened, Stephens hit him in the face, and the victim fell unconscious onto the concrete.
Initial concerns about a fractured eye socket proved unfounded.
Stephens, who lives on Bradford Road, had a prior conviction 19 years ago for cannabis possession.
Defense lawyer Ian Whiteley stated Stephens still felt aggrieved over the incident, citing ongoing noise issues, and recent trouble involving the victim’s son and a boiler repairman, with threats made by the son.
He claimed Stephens punched the father in self-defense, a point not accepted by the court.
Whiteley added that Stephens immediately called an ambulance and felt remorseful, which was reflected in his sentence.
Stephens received a 20-week prison sentence suspended for a year, with a requirement to complete a community order with 15 days of rehabilitation activities, and was ordered to pay £500 in compensation to the victim.
