A Penrith man has been jailed for a vicious and premeditated bottle attack which left his victim fearing he would die.
In the days before he meted out savage violence, 34-year-old Anthony Scaife was seen wandering around and using abusive language in reference to the other man.
That man was invited to Scaife’s Arnison Court flat in Penrith on April 20 last year, and was attacked almost immediately on entering.
“As he went to close the door behind him, he noticed that the defendant was angry, with gritted teeth,” prosecutor Brendan Burke told Carlisle Crown Court today.
Scaife used a vodka bottle he had purposely moved into position to strike the man twice — possibly three times — to the head, his makeshift weapon smashing in the process.
“He noticed blood streaming after the second blow,” said Mr Burke of the victim. “The blood loss was profuse.”
Further blows were delivered to the head and body by Scaife as he screamed “I’m going to kill you”, before a woman entered the address and was able to drag the victim away.
The man was treated in hospital for multiple head and body injuries, including a 4cm wound to the crown which was stapled, and a deep defensive cut to his tricep which needed internal and external closure.
In an impact statement, he expressed worry about crossing paths with Scaife again and, said Mr Burke: “He says he wasn’t sure if he would leave that flat alive.”
A perceived grievance by Scaife about the man’s alleged violent treatment of a woman lay partly behind his violence, the court heard.
Scaife admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent, and also possession of a class B drug. He made full admissions at the scene and in interview, saying he wasn’t sorry and that his victim had deserved it. He had no previous criminal convictions.
Scaife’s lawyer, Tariq Khawam, conceded there was nothing that could justify his rather bewildering violence.
Judge Nicholas Barker imposed a 52-month prison sentence and told Scaife he would serve two-thirds before being eligible for release.
“You will have known that by choosing a bottle as a weapon that there was a significant likelihood that that would break,” said Judge Barker, “and that the injuries then caused by continuing to use it would be very significant.”
Scaife was also banned from contacting his victim indefinitely.
