Chef spared jail for vicious attack on Rossendale boy (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Chef spared jail for vicious attack on Rossendale boy
10:00pm Thursday 10th January 2013 in News By Wendy Barlow, Court reporter
AN assistant chef who smashed a schoolboy’s jaw in two places in a vicious unprovoked attack has been spared jail.
Daniel James, 19, was with a gang and had a bull mastiff-type dog with him when he struck in the Helmshore area.
He claimed he thought the victim had been bullying a boy.
James hit the 16-year-old victim repeatedly, leaving him needing a jaw splint and unable to eat solid food.
The teenager was “paranoid” about being assaulted again after his ordeal last April 27, Burnley Crown Court heard.
James, of Rosewood Avenue, Haslingden, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm.
He was given a suspended 16 month term of detention, with 12 months supervision and must go on the Thinking Skills programme. He must also pay £300 compensation.
Silvia Dacre, prosecuting, said the victim had been walking home from school with two friends when he was confronted. James let his dog loose, which intimidated the teenager.
The schoolboy tried to walk away, but the defendant punched him hard to the left side of his face several times.
Miss Dacre said the schoolboy was in severe pain and later went to hospital, where it was found he had suffered two fractures to his lower jaw.
The prosecutor said in his personal statement, the victim confirmed he had had to wear the splint for 24 hours a day and he couldn’t eat solid foods.
He said he had to miss some school because of the injury, which affected at least one of his GCSE results.
Miss Dacre continued: “He can’t open his jaw fully even now and has been told it might be a permanent feature as a result of how the jaw has healed.”
Philip Holden, for James, said: “It was a very nasty injury. He couldn’t complain if he went to prison today.”
The barrister added the defendant seemed to have done a great deal of growing up and was now working 60 hours a week as an assistant chef.
Sentencing, Judge Beverley Lunt told James: “This was an unprovoked attack.
“It was vicious. You punched him more than once.”
