Josh Rooney, 41, of Acomb Court, Harlow Green, Gateshead, subjected his son to a violent public assault after a drunken dispute over the time of day. The attack left onlookers believing the victim had been killed. Newcastle Crown Court heard that Rooney stamped on his son's head, kicked him in the face, and repeatedly punched him during the incident on December 19 last year.
Drunken Argument Escalates Into Violence
The father and son had not been in regular contact for 12 months but reunited for drinks on the day of the assault. After visiting several bars, including Wetherspoon's in Gateshead and Stack in Newcastle city centre, Rooney's mood soured. While in a taxi heading to a bar in Gateshead, he began arguing with his son because he mistakenly believed it was 4am when it was actually 4pm. Rooney threw his arm back to strike his son in the cab, and when the vehicle stopped, he dragged him out onto the pavement. The son initially fought back, but Rooney pinned him to the ground, using his weight to render him defenceless. He continued punching him to the face and body, then placed his hand around his son's neck as if to strangle him.
Victim Left Unconscious and Covered in Blood
The victim lost consciousness for 15 to 30 seconds and awoke to find himself covered in blood. He attempted to drag himself along the ground, but Rooney taunted him, saying "do you think you are the big man," before kicking him in the face and stamping on his head and shoulder. A female witness called the police, reporting that the younger man appeared dead because he looked like a ragdoll and his face was covered in blood. When she told Rooney to stop, he replied, "it's my f****** son," and continued the assault. She told police, "I think he has f****** killed him," and did not intervene for fear he would turn on her. Bar staff also tried to intervene but were prevented by Rooney, who insisted "this is my son." One witness saw Rooney nudge his son with his foot and say, "I hope you die."
Injuries and Impact on Victim
The victim sustained bruising to his face and forehead, a cut lip, hand soreness, swelling and marks to his forehead. In a victim impact statement, he described a gash on his head and a damaged ankle, with bruising taking a month and a half to fade. He lost up to £3,000 in wages as a labourer due to time off work. He said, "I became a recluse. I looked awful and felt awful and I lost two-and-a-half stone. I remember sitting on the pavement sobbing. Even with the police next to me he was shouting at me across the car park." He added that he can no longer bear to be around drunk people and that the assault has changed his personality, causing him to lose friends. He stated, "I gave him chance after chance only for him to do this to me. He is my father and if I can't trust him, who can I trust."
Sentencing and Legal Outcome
Rooney, who has 23 previous convictions and was subject to a community order at the time, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Judge Robert Adams described the attack as "a total betrayal of his relationship with his son." He sentenced Rooney to two years imprisonment, suspended for two years, with 100 hours of unpaid work and a 120-day alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement. A five-year restraining order was also imposed, banning him from contacting his son. The judge warned Rooney, "You could not possibly complain if I imposed an immediate custodial sentence. You recognise that's a likely outcome." Defending, Jordan Parkinson said, "His offending is directly linked to his mental health and resorting to excessive alcohol and cocaine consumption as a coping mechanism. This offence has been a huge wake up call to him. He knows he has severely damaged his relationship with his son. He is remorseful."
