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Man, 43, punched victim in face after row over state of dog.

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January 5, 2014
assault, EDL, English Defence League, Jailed, Uncategorized

A 43-YEAR-OLD assaulted a man in his own home following a row over a dog, a court heard.

Anthony Forrester, aged 43, of St Luke’s Court, Hanley, was handed a 10-month sentence for assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Yesterday Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court was told Forrester, who has 28 previous convictions, hit Roger Rixon on May 12 leaving the victim needing hospital treatment.

After initially pleading not guilty to the charge, Forrester reversed his plea ahead of a court trial.

Fiona Cortese, prosecuting, said: “At about 7.30pm Mr Rixon had drank three litres of cider and the defendant was in the living room.

“During the argument the defendant punched him and then left the house.

“He was arrested on May 14 and said Mr Rixon was shouting at him. He said he had drank two cans of cider and regretted his actions and denied stepping on him.”

Although Mr Rixon claimed he had suffered a broken nose during the assault there was no medical evidence to back up his claim.

A statement by Forrester read out in court stated: “Mr Rixon and I argued and I punched him in the face and he grabbed my leg, so I kicked out.

“I don’t accept that I stamped on him and I deny I broke his nose.”

Hamish Noble, defending, said: “It was an argument over a dog and the condition the dog was in.

“He knows what he did was wrong and that he shouldn’t have done it.

“The defendant left a special school with no qualifications and moved on to drink and drugs.

“He now has settled accommodation in Hanley and lives there with his son.”

Judge Granville Styler said: “This was an unpleasant attack.

“If you continue with gratuitous violence you’ll get longer and longer prison sentences.”

Stoke Sentinel

Man’s nose broken in doorstep attack

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January 5, 2014
EDL, English Defence League, Jailed, Uncategorized

DRUNKEN Anthony Forrester broke a deaf man’s nose in an unprovoked attack outside his home.

Philip Cotterill, who is profoundly deaf, was at home with him mum in Lower Bethesda Street, Hanley, at 9.30pm on November 8 last year when he felt a slight vibration.

He went to investigate and noticed eggs had been thrown at his window. He went outside, but could not see anyone.

He asked a neighbour to call the police and as he returned to his house he saw the defendant approach from an alleyway at the side of his house.

Prosecutor Philip Beardwell told Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court yesterday that Mr Cotterill saw Forrester urinate outside the fire station before he walked towards him.

“Mr Cotterill closed his gate. The defendant’s body language was aggressive. Mr Cotterill asked him to go away repeatedly.

“The defendant ignored the request and then hit him directly to his nose with a clenched fist.

“The defendant then grabbed a brick pillar causing it to fall down. He picked up a brick. Mr Cotterill turned to go in his house when he felt a hard blow to the back of his head.

“He ran inside and closed the door behind him.”

The court heard police officers saw the tail end of the incident and witnessed Forrester throwing bricks.

Mr Cotterill was left with a broken nose and a small cut to the back of his head, which needed one stitch.

In his victim statement he said the attack had left him more vulnerable, nervous and depressed.

His sleep pattern had been affected, as had his daily life. He added that he had to have his nose corrected.

Forrester, aged 41, of Furnival Street, Cobridge, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and criminal damage.

Nicola Bell, defending, conceded it was a “dreadful” offence and a custodial sentence was inevitable.

She said Forrester, who has battled a heroin problem for most of his adult life, had no previous convictions for violence.

She said he was remorseful and apologised to Mr Cotterill and his mother.

“He was heavily in drink and had also taken diazepam. He has very little recollection of what occurred.

“He is not a violent man.”

Jailing Forrester for 20 months, Judge Paul Glenn said: “This was an unpleasant and totally unprovoked assault on an innocent man. He was deaf. There is no evidence you knew that, nor that you were responsible for the damage caused to his house which brought him out in the first place.

“While he was looking at the damage on the windows you came across the road. You punched him and hit him so hard you broke his nose.

“Not content with that, you pulled away part of a brick pillar. As he tried to flee you threw a brick at him.

“This has had a significant effect on Mr Cotterill.

“The offence is so serious only custody is appropriate.”

Stoke Sentinel

Thief Anthony Forrester stole chocolate bar from Hanley Marks and Spencers – before attacking security guards who demanded payment.

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January 5, 2014
Uncategorized

ALCOHOLIC Anthony Forrester attacked two supermarket security guards – after they asked him to pay for a bar of chocolate he had stolen and eaten.

The 44-year-old was in the Marks and Spencer store, in Hanley, on October 17 when he picked up a 69p bar of chocolate and ate it without paying.

North Staffordshire Magistrates Court heard yesterday how store security guards Ian Creed and Bekezela Ndlovu followed Forrester to Iceland, in Charles Street, to ask him to pay for the food.

Prosecuting, Giles Rowden said: “Mr Forrester picked up a bar of chocolate and ate it and threw the wrapper away.

“He was approached by the security guards and told them he would pay for it, but he then left the store.

“The security guards saw the defendant in the Iceland store where he became abusive.” The court heard that he racially abused and swore at Mr Ndlovu claimed he was a member of the English Defence League.

Mr Rowden added: “He was using abusive language towards Mr Ndlovu, who was just trying to do his job.

“The other security guard was then punched in the head and bit on the hand. Forrester was then arrested, but on the way to custody he damaged a Perspex cage belonging to Staffordshire Police.”

Forrester, of St Luke’s Court, in Hanley, pleaded guilty to five charges which included theft, assault by beating, criminal damage and using racially abusive and offensive language.

Defending, Nicola Bell, said: “Mr Forrester has not appeared before the court in a long time. He has tried to tackle what is a very real alcohol problem which he has not been very successful at addressing.

“These are serious offences and they are in the context of the record of a man who is now 44 years of age.”

Miss Bell added: “There are two sides to Anthony Forrester. He can be extremely vile and unacceptable, but then there is the Anthony Forrester who wants to change and wants to address issues from the past.

“There are deep-rooted problems here, but the daily issue is the alcohol.”

Magistrates told Forrester: “This was a nasty, alcohol-fuelled incident.”

He was handed an eight-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months with 12 months supervision and an alcohol treatment requirement for using racially abusive language and the same punishment for the assault on Ian Creed, to run concurrently.

He was given no further penalty for the theft and criminal damage charges.

However, he was told to pay £165 costs and £100 compensation to the victims as well as £20 for damage to Mr Creed’s watch and 69p to Marks and Spencer for the chocolate.


Stoke Sentinal

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