A shopper who intervened to stop a group of youths riding bikes around a Sainsbury's store in Newcastle was savagely beaten, with CCTV showing he was punched 22 times. The attacker, Stuart Scott, 45, of Craythorne Gardens, Heaton, pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm and was jailed for 18 months at Newcastle Crown Court.
The victim was in the Sainsbury's store in Heaton, Newcastle, on Monday June 22 this year at around 6pm, when he became concerned that a group of four or five youths were riding down the aisles on bikes, one of them on an e-bike. Worried they might injure elderly shoppers or young children in the busy store, he sought to intervene.
When he asked what they thought they were doing, they replied that it was "none of your business". Having asked them to stop, he took hold of one bike by the handlebars and tipped the rider off, then confiscated a bike off a second youth and tipped him off it.
Attack in the supermarket
The court heard the group threatened to "do him in" if he did not give the bikes back, and he said he would keep the bikes until the police arrived, with staff having alerted officers. The man gave the bikes to a member of staff and continued his shopping.
Once he had finished, he was heading towards the exit when Scott, followed by one of the youths who had told him the victim had assaulted him, pointed out the victim. Scott intercepted him and, as other shoppers walked by, he was forced backwards and repeatedly punched, with blows landing to the head and upper body.
He was grappled to the floor, where more punches were delivered. While he was on the floor being punched by Scott, a youth then kicked the victim numerous times to the back. A member of the public used their trolley to force the youth away.
Injuries and sentencing
A member of staff intervened to stop the attack and Scott left the store. CCTV showed he had delivered 22 punches, and the victim said: "I genuinely feared for my life."
The victim went to the RVI and was found to have fractures to a rib and three vertebrae, as well as multiple grazes on his flank, liquid on his lung and swelling to his jaw. He had to have eight weeks off work but said he would do the same thing again.
Recorder Rebecca Brown said the attack involved a persistent and "terrifying" level of violence. She added: "This was shocking offending that happened in a busy supermarket resulting in serious injuries. It must not be tolerated."
Tony Davis, defending, said Scott had been in the area when he was told by a youth that the victim had assaulted them, but now he knows the full facts, he knows his actions were not justified. He added: "It was a spontaneous reaction to what he had been told. He bitterly, bitterly regrets it. He has genuine remorse. The assault was relatively short but he accepts there was no justification. He accepts (the victim) was right to remove the bikes from the children."
