'Dangerous' thug jailed for attack on vulnerable Oswaldtwistle man
3:20pm Monday 22nd March 2010 in
A POPULAR Oswaldtwistle man now lives in fear after a vicious and unprovoked bottle attack on him by a 'dangerous' thug, a court heard.
Disabled Stephen Pilkington, who is 42, but is said by his mother to have the mind of a young child, was set upon by Damion Hastie and knocked unconscious as he walked past a takeaway in Union Road.
Hastie, who had been given a suspended prison term just five days before for two assaults, left his victim scared to go out, nervous of strangers and unable to sleep. Mr Pilkington had previously been picked on because of his vulnerability, Burnley Crown Court heard.
Hastie, of Shallow Valley Court, Accrington, admitted wounding , last June 7 and was sent to jail for a total of three years. He had nine previous convictions.
Judge Beverley Lunt slammed his actions as cowardly and told the defendant he had affected Mr Pilkington's life.
She said :"He's never going to be independent but at least he could walk down the road and have a happy little walk. He's not doing that anymore. He now lives in fear."
"There is no doubt in my mind you are a dangerous offender."
Sara Dodd, prosecuting, said Mr Pilkington, who was unable to live independently and was almost blind in one eye, was well known and well liked in Oswaldtwistle. He had been a regular in local pubs and had often been seen walking up and down the main street.
That was what he was doing, just before 8pm, on the night he was attacked. As he approached the takeaway, the defendant went towards him and hit him on the back of the head with a bottle.
Miss Dodd said he was knocked to the ground, his glasses fell off and passers-by went to his aid.
A neighbour took him back to his mother's and he was taken to hospital for treatment to a gash to the head.
The victim suffered a nasty wound, a sore jaw and grazes.
Martin Hackett, for Hastie, said the offence was disgraceful. He had been in drink and taken drugs but it was no excuse, Mr Hacket said
Comments(14)
chocky
says...
3:57pm Mon 22 Mar 10
ste.g
says...
4:17pm Mon 22 Mar 10
Chris P Bacon
says...
4:30pm Mon 22 Mar 10
RAyzer
says...
4:33pm Mon 22 Mar 10
chrislancs
says...
4:59pm Mon 22 Mar 10
Chris Reid PPC
English Democrats
Hyndburn/Haslingden
chris283
says...
5:35pm Mon 22 Mar 10
chris283
says...
5:36pm Mon 22 Mar 10
stanhillstan
says...
6:02pm Mon 22 Mar 10
dnlcoker
says...
6:39pm Mon 22 Mar 10
ste.g
says...
7:07pm Mon 22 Mar 10
chrislancs wrote:debate my a*se.stop with the political attention seeking so near to the elections,i say give him a taste of his own medicine or throw away the key.either way would do.he is the way he is as are countless others, due to the politics of all the parties.TO SOFT.stop pandering to these thugs with excuses of the kind of life or upbringing they have had.we have left it to the parties and and the justice they dish out is a waste of time.i say let the inmates have a turn,it will certainly make them think twice about doing it again.
9 previous convictions, I think the system should have been allowed to give him a lethal injection at the 3rd conviction, this scumbag will never amount to anything. I am suprised he has not killed someone already. we need to debate the whole sentenceing issue as a nation and not leave it to the inmates to dish out their version of justice.
Chris Reid PPC
English Democrats
Hyndburn/Haslingden
l m h jones
says...
7:25pm Mon 22 Mar 10
past it
says...
8:13pm Mon 22 Mar 10
Hastie gets a good seeing to, backwords forewords and upside down, he was a brave little man attacking a disabled man, NOT what a coward.
beccie23
says...
3:43pm Sun 28 Mar 10
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BOTTLE WOUNDING: The judge said Damion Hastie was a dangerous offender
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chris283 says...
3:34pm Mon 22 Mar 10