A COCAINE-FUELLED thug who attacked a disabled man with two pool cues and threw a bottle at his head as he lay unconscious on the floor has been jailed for nine years.

Preston Crown Court heard how 21-year-old Michael Maughan carried out the “gratuitous attack” on 62-year-old victim David Shanks at The Railway pub in Accrington in the early hours of June 15.

When CCTV footage of the incident was played in court Maughan’s mother walked out in disgust.

Prosecuting, Alistair Reid said Maughan walked into the pub in Blackburn Road at 12.30am and asked assistant bar manager Deborah Traynor if he was still barred.

When it was confirmed he was, Maughan went behind the bar, poured himself a drink, grabbed a bottle of Sambuca, asked for some Irish music to be played and told Ms Traynor that he had taken “lots of cocaine”.

Maughan then sat next to Mr Shanks, who he did not know, and the victim asked him to leave the table.

Mr Reid said Maughan then punched Mr Shanks, who has COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), arthritis and walks with crutches, to the left temple without provocation.

Mr Shanks, who had been drinking a pint of mild ale, grabbed at Maughan in an attempt to stop the assault.

Mr Reid said the defendant initially walked away and threw a stool across the room, before returning with a pool cue and “swinging it like a baseball bat” at Mr Shanks.

Maughan hit Mr Shanks on the head with the cue, knocking him to the floor where he lay unconscious.

The court heard the cue snapped in half, which temporarily halted the attack. But as Mr Shanks lay unconscious on the floor Maughan returned with a second cue before striking Mr Shanks again several times.

When he finally finished attacking Mr Shanks, Maughan turned to Ms Traynor and said: “Am I barred? Because if I am I’ll finish him off,”

Maughan then threw a glass at the head of Mr Shanks.

He then told Ms Traynor that she better call Mr Shanks an ambulance, before turning to other people in the pub and saying they’d “get it too” if the police were called.

Maughan then fled the but was quickly arrested by police who described him as laughing. When under caution he said: “It’s a joke.”

Mr Reid said: “The prosecution would say this was a gratuitous attack which went far beyond any justification.”

Mr Shanks was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital with a cut head and bruised body.

In his victim impact statement Mr Shanks said he was suffering from depression and anxiety.

Maughan, of Hurstwood Avenue, Blackburn, who has five convictions for nine offences, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent.

Defending, Jonathan Turner said his client is from the travelling community and was withdrawn from school when he was 14 and required to do work.

He said Maughan had a close relationship with his grandfather and it was following his death when the defendant was 16 that he began drinking alcohol. That coincided with his first conviction, Mr Turner said.

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He added: “This is an attack which can’t be justified in any way. The defendant can’t justify it and doesn’t pretend to.”

Imposing an indefinite restraining order which banned Maughan from contacting the victim and witnesses and form entering The Railway pub, Judge Richard Gioserano said: “It was a brutal, sickening attack on this frail man. You showed him no mercy.”