Attack victim had serious injuries

11:30am Sunday 20th July 2008

A GROUNDWORKER is facing jail after an unprov-oked attack which left his victim seriously injured.

Gary Moore, 30, told police he hit Daniel Halshaw because the victim was "eyeballing" him in the Roebuck pub in Haslingden.

Burnley magistrates heard how father-of-one Moore admitted the victim had done nothing to provoke him. The defendant told police he had been stressed and under pressure with work and a house move and had gone out and got "very, very drunk."

Moore, of Warburton Street, Haslingden, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm on April 5 and was committed on bail to the crown court for sentence on August 22. He must live at his home address and observe a curfew between 10pm and 6am.

Joanne Close, prosecuting, told the court Mr Halshaw was on the dance floor about 1.30am and there was no sign of trouble brewing. He then felt a heavy blow to his head, got into a scuffle, ended up on the floor and felt somebody stamp on his head.

Mr Halshaw was thrown out by the bouncers. At that point, the victim realised he was bleeding heavily and a girl told him she had seen three or four people ganging up on him. Mr Halshaw was taken to Fairfield Hospital, Bury, but when he returned home he felt dizzy and his girlfriend called another ambulance. He was taken to hospital in Rochdale.

Mrs Close said glass was removed from cuts on his head and the victim had also suffered lacerations and bruises, and soreness where someone had stamped on him. He had deep gashes to his cheek, cuts near his eye and had ringing in his ears. Mr Halshaw would say he had been a little tipsy but not drunk. She added: "He really has no idea why what happened happened."

When Moore was arrested he apologised for his behaviour and said it was out of character.

Lee Hammond, defending, said he conceded the case should go to the crown court.

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