A thug who ‘chest bumped’ a market trader before punching his son to the face when he tried to protect him has avoided jail.
Michael Dean Tylor was with a friend outside Accrington Market Hall who was accused of stealing a plastic bag from a clothing stall.
Burnley Crown Court heard how when stall owner Farzand Ali, 61, challenged the friend Tylor intervened and ‘chest bumped’ him.
He was then restrained by Mr Ali’s son Arjamand Ali, 42, however after letting him go Tylor punched him to the face.
Tylor, 38, of Wellington Street, Accrington, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault by beating.
He was given a 20-week jail sentence suspended for six months.
Robert Elias, prosecuting, told the court how the incident happened in September 2014 and Arjamand Ali received a black eye and a cut above his eye after the punch smashed his glasses.
Philip Holden, defending, said: “This was a reaction to circumstances that presented themselves to a man who has a limited history of violence. It was his friend who was either trying to obtain or steal a plastic bag.He has got a classic antecedent history of a drug addict and he’s taking steps to rid himself of that addiction.
“He’s leading a fairly modest life looking after his dog. This was a very unpleasant incident on the street but we’re not as severe as they might have been.”
Judge Beverley Lunt said Tylor’s behaviour was ‘disgraceful’.
Sentencing, she said: “The only people that weren’t at fault on this day was this man and his son, both of whom were assaulted by you.
“You do not go round chest bumping a 61 year old man. I don’t believe for a minute that you didn’t realise your friend was up to no good with a history you’ve got.
“You had no business interfering with people trying to protect their property. And then you seemed to have completely lost it and we’re out of control. It’s lucky for you that this wasn’t more serious. People must understand if they act as you do that you will go to prison.”
Market trader Mr Ali said Tylor should have been jailed. Mr Ali, who is now 62 and has run the stall for more than 40 years, said: “It’s wrong he wasn’t jailed. He should have been punished hard for it. We’ve never had an incident like this before.”
