A man who reacted to provocation by launching a violent attack in a Carlisle supermarket which left one victim with a fractured eye socket and broken nose has been given a suspended prison sentence.
Joseph Alfred Malloy, 34, was with his mother at Morrisons, Kingstown Road, on August 24 when a commotion began, Carlisle Crown Court heard this morning.
Reference was made by a woman to Malloy’s seriously ill sister. In response, Malloy, of Dalton Avenue, Carlisle, grabbed the woman by her hair.
The incident then escalated as the woman’s intoxicated partner threw a beer bottle at Malloy, whose overreaction was captured on CCTV camera footage played in court.
This showed Malloy on top of the grounded man, delivering several forceful punches to his head. As the attack ended, the man could be seen staggering to his feet and then falling to the floor again.
Malloy also caused £2,500 damage to entrance doors at the supermarket.
When brought to court, he admitted causing the man grievous bodily harm, assaulting the woman by beating and also a charge of criminal damage. The man had undergone hospital treatment with staples inserted into facial wounds.
As Malloy was sentenced, defence lawyer Andrew Evans told of the defendant’s struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder after he was stabbed a decade ago, and family difficulties. Malloy said of his offending from the dock: “I know it was illegal and I am sorry for what I done.
“I just hope to God that nothing like this happens again.”
After hearing mitigation and reading character references from Malloy’s partner, daughter and mother, Recorder Julian Shaw suspended an eight-month jail term for two years.
As part of his punishment, Malloy must carry out up to 15 days’ rehabilitation work with the Probation Service, and complete a six-month electronically monitored night time curfew.
