A YOUNG man had a welcome birthday present from a judge – when he was given a suspended prison sentence for an assault.
The sentence came just a day after Scott Mason had been cleared by a jury of witness intimidation and a further assault on the same victim, which he had denied.
Appearing at Warwick Crown Court on his 22nd birthday, he was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison suspended for 18 months for an offence of assault by beating, which he had admitted.
Mason, previously of Little Park, Southam, but now of Gresham Avenue, Leamington, was also ordered to do 140 hours of unpaid work and to take part in a rehabilitation activity.
Prosecutor Philip Brunt said in June last year, Mason attacked Jack Tibbitts after they and Mason’s girlfriend returned to Mason’s new flat after a night out drinking.
Mason, who accepted he had taken some cocaine, had grabbed his girlfriend and sworn at her. When Mr Tibbitts told him he should not speak to her like that, Mason knocked Mr Tibbitts into a glass table before kicking and punching him causing a bleeding nose and mouth.
Another person at the house called for an ambulance because Mr Tibbitts was complaining of chest pains, but because of the volatile scene, the paramedics stayed in their vehicle until the police arrived.
Mr Tibbitts was then put in the ambulance where he was found to have bruising to his chest, abdomen and face.
Mason told the police he had ‘had a fight with the lad in the ambulance,’ adding: “I punched him, and he punched me. I also had a fight with my girlfriend.”
It had also been alleged in September Mason and Cameron Spriggs had assaulted Mr Tibbitts and intimidated him to try to get him to withdraw his complaint.
Both Mason and Mr Spriggs, 28, of Little Park, Southam, had denied those charges, and were found not guilty following a trial.
Of Mason’s assault on Mr Tibbitts in the flat, his barrister Lee Masters said he had a problem with alcohol and with resorting to violence.
Mr Masters added: “At the time of the offence he was not only drinking too much, he was taking cocaine recreationally, and had taken cocaine on that occasion. But he says he’s now made some proper lifestyle choices and has taken positive steps to address those problems.”
Sentencing Mason, Recorder Tom Rochford told him: “Any breach of this order will almost certainly result in you needing that bag you’ve brought with you.”
