A laughing robber attacked a man while he withdrew money from a cash machine and left him with a broken wrist.
Stuart Cornmell had launched his attack after initially calling his victim, James O’Donnell, “a rat.”
When Mr O’Donnell turned around he recognised the defendant, whom he had known for 12 years and who had tried to avoid because of a previous problem, said Paul Blasbery, prosecuting.
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Mr Blasbery said: “He told him to go away but instead, as shown on CCTV, Cornmell forcibly pushed him and he landed on his left side on the floor.”
Liverpool Crown Court heard the victim had gone to the cash machine at the junction of Stanley Road and Merton Road, Bootle, about 10pm on June 19 after drinking in a nearby pub.
It was after he had requested £50 from the machine that he realised there was someone behind him and the attack happened.
Mr O’Donnell got back to his feet but was twice pushed down by Cornmell.
Mr Blasbery said: “Mr O’Donnell asked for his money back and Cornmell was laughing and saying, ‘what are you going to do about it?’”
The victim got up and walked back to the pub and called the police. The next day he went to hospital and when his wrist was x-rayed it was found to be broken and had to be put in a plaster cast, said Mr Blasbery.
Cornmell, 31, was arrested and interviewed.
Mr Blasbery said: “He said at the time he had been living on the streets in Liverpool city centre smoking Spice, taking Class A drugs and did not want to live.”
He also said his granddad had been buried that month and he was “in a bad place.”
Cornmell, of Coniston Street, Anfield, who has previous convictions including racially aggravated harassment and battery, pleaded guilty to robbery.
Jailing him for three years nine months Judge Robert Trevor-Jones said that although the two men were not on good terms their families were friends and the victim had written a letter asking for clemency on behalf of Cornmell’s family.
He imposed a four year restraining order to keep away from the victim.
Jonathan Duffy, defending, said: “His life has been typified by a chaotic homeless drug affected state.”
He believed the other man owed him a debt but he accepts what he did was inexcusable. He has been in and out of prison for short custodial sentences but this would be his longest sentence.
Mr Duffy added that Cornmell had not kicked or punched his victim. He had wrestled him to the ground and then twice pushed him back to the floor when he got up.
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