A drunk man punched a random woman in the ribs inside a Tyneside supermarket in what turned out to be a case of mistaken identity. Alexander Burns struck the woman in Tesco, in Heaton, as she minded her own business and browsed the shelves.
Victim left distressed
A court heard that the shocked victim turned around and began crying, which saw members of the public come to her aid. Burns then approached the woman again, this time apologising and claiming he'd thought she was someone else, prosecutors said.
Burns, of Tumulus Avenue, in Walker, made off from the scene but was later identified and arrested. He has now been given a 24-month community order after he pleaded guilty to assault by beating and a separate public order offence.
Court details
Chike Anieto, prosecuting at Newcastle Magistrates' Court, said Burns entered Tesco, in Heaton, on July 23 this year. Mr Anieto continued: "The victim was on her own walking around Tesco on Chillingham Road. All of a sudden, she felt a pain. She turned around and saw the defendant."
"She was completely caught off-guard after the defendant had approached her and punched her in the side. She was quite distressed and started crying. Members of this public tried to help her."
"The defendant then came towards her and said 'I'm sorry, I thought you were someone else' before making off from the location."
Previous offence and sentence
Three months prior, Burns also committed the public order offence whereby he shouted abuse at a woman in Go Local, on Shields Road, Byker. The court heard that Burns had 165 offences on his record and was on a community order at the time.
Jack Lovell, defending, told magistrates: "Mr Burns is alcohol-dependant and he's addressing that with the Probation Service at the moment."
"He did strike the woman as she walked passed him. He had been the victim of an assault shortly beforehand and wrongly thought it was the same person. When he realised he was wrong, he did apologise and said he had the wrong person."
Burns was also fined £120 and was ordered to pay £100 compensation to the victim, £85 costs and a £114 victim surcharge.
