A former millionaire businessman who ended up begging on the streets after becoming hooked on heroin has been jailed for beating up an innocent man in front of the victim's 12 year old daughter.
In a moving statement, the victim told how he was scared the thugs would turn on his daughter - and still feels unsafe in his own home after the pair followed them home.
He struggled to smile or talk after the assault - and finds it difficult to take his daughter to school following the harrowing incident.
Dominic Hudson who was once said to be worth "in excess of £1m" after setting up two debt recovery firms attacked mature student Neil McCann who challenged him and his friend over their boorish behaviour towards two women.
During the assault have-a-go hero Mr McCann who is in is 40s, ushered his daughter Marie away to safety but was savagely punched and kicked by Hudson who was carrying a blade and Paul Bloomfield.
The victim suffered a 20cm cut to his left cheek and a 3cm deep wound to his chin.
Hudson, 47, from Sale, Greater Manchester enjoyed holidays in the Philippines and Majorca until his businesses failed in 2010 and 2016.
The court heard how he had a severe drug addiction and had been drinking vodka in the run up to the attack. He kept a knuckleduster at his home whilst a pair of blood stained scissors were found at the scene.
At Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, Hudson senior and career criminal Bloomfield, 47, who lives next door to him, admitted causing grievous bodily harm upon Mr McCann and having an offensive weapon and were each jailed for 40 months.
The incident occurred on August 1 last year when Mr McCann had been walking home with his daughter in Sale and saw Hudson and Bloomfield tussling with the two women on the opposite side of the road.
Saul Brodie prosecuting said: "Hudson was shouting at one of the women whilst Bloomfield had his arm around the other's woman's throat and had her in headlock.
"Mr McCann was concerned and shouted over to the two women to ask if everything was ok but Bloomfield told him to 'F**k off' before he and Hudson crossed the road towards him.
"Mr McCann told his daughter to walk away as males came closer and was concerned for her but he did not want to turn his back on the two males.
"Bloomfield got into Mr McCann's personal space whilst Hudson had his right hand behind his back with a blade sticking up between his fingers.
"Bloomfield then punched Mr McCann in the left hand side of the face. Mr McCann could see his daughter was there and told her to go but Bloomfield punched him again and then Hudson struck him and the victim felt blood running down his face . He assumed he had been cut with the blade.
"Mr McCann was pushed to the floor and attacked by both males acting together, He was repeatedly punched and kicked and at one point Bloomfield was completely on top of him weighing him down with his full body weight.
"Mr McCann then threw punches himself to get the males away and managed to get up but the two defendants continued moving towards him and Hudson removed his cap.
"Mr McCann told a young man passing by on a bike to call police but then had to intervene as the two defendants started walking towards him. A woman also tried to manoeuvre her car between Mr McCann and the two defendants but Bloomfield began punching her car windows.
"Mr McCann was followed all the way home but when he went through his front gate Hudson caught up with him and spat on his left shoulder whilst Bloomfield spat in his face. 'They fled when they heard police sirens. The attack was completely unprovoked."
In a statement Mr McCann told police: "I was terrified I would be seriously injured. I have had difficulty smiling and talking and had to see a specialist.
"The ordeal has affected my university studies and even taking my daughter to school is really stressful. I cant go to bed anymore unless my door is locked. I no longer feel safe in own home
"I just wanted to protect her but these men seemed to disregard the fact she was there. There was two of them and one of him, they were significantly bigger than me and and they had weapons.
"I was scared for my life and that of my daughter. I was only trying to help someone but I will be more reluctant to help others in future."
Hudson had 98 offences on his record including burglary, drugs offences, driving offences. In 2021 he was given a community order for helping his son carry out the attack on the Greggs bakery.
Bloomfield who also admitted assaulting an emergency worker had 164 offences on his record including violence, knife possession, burglary and driving offences.
In mitigation for Hudson defence counsel Patrick Buckley said: "He was once a very successful person worth in excess of £1 million and involved in business but from those heights he went very quickly to fighting in the street and begging for heroin.
"He recognised his behaviour was utterly unacceptable and wants to work towards a drug free future. However that is only going to be achieved by third party intervention at a very high level."
Sentencing, Judge Nigel Bird told Hudson and Bloomfield: "Mr McCann was a concerned citizen who noticed your companions were in distress. He shouted over to them to ask if all was well but you each took grave exception to that. You gave chase and subjected him to what became a prolonged, unpleasant event in his life."
