A man floored a stranger with a single punch after rowing with him in Warrington town centre.
Colin Martindale, 40, punched Liam Fox in the face as they walked down Bridge Street at around 6am on September 3, 2022. The two men, who were not known to each other, had bumped into each other on the corner and an argument broke out, which continued until Martindale suddenly lashed out, knocking Mr Fox unconscious.
He pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm, as well as breaching an existing criminal behaviour order and possession of a small amount of cannabis, which was found on him when he was arrested a short time later.
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At Liverpool Crown Court today, November 29, prosecutor Derek Jones said: "The defendant administered a single punch to Liam Fox to the face. Some power in the punch knocked Mr Fox to the floor, banging his head and knocking him unconscious briefly. He was taken to hospital but luckily it seems it was a small cut on the back of the head. Where the punch hit his mouth, there was a slightly more serious split lip."
Julian Nutter, defending, said Martindale was homeless at the time of the assault, and had been looking for a place to stay when he bumped into Mr Fox.
He said: "His relationship collapsed and he has become re-addicted to Class A drugs, heroin and crack cocaine, and that surrounds the mess that led to him living on the streets, trying to get himself into a hostel with all his worldly possessions."
He called on Judge Stuart Driver to hand down a suspended sentence. But the judge said Martindale's case was aggravated by his long criminal record – 20 convictions for 48 offences – and his breach of a criminal behaviour order given to him in 2017 following a Class A drug dealing offence.
Sentencing Martindale, he said: "At the time you landed the single blow, Mr Fox had his hands down and was not offering violence to you. It was a heavy punch that caused him to fall and hit his head on the ground. He became unconscious. Everybody knows how highly dangerous that is. There was no element of self defence and it was a spontaneous action by you."
He sentenced Martindale, of Moss Lawn Road, Kirkby, to eight months in prison for the assault, five months for breaching his criminal behaviour order, and one month for drugs possession, to run concurrently.
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