A chef who has worked alongside the likes of Gordon Ramsay launched a vicious attack on a man in a train toilet because he supported a rival football team.
Self-taught chef and Liverpool fan Benjamin Nessling, 32, punched a man and stamped on his head, a court heard, after it emerged the stranger supported Manchester United.
Shocking CCTV footage recorded an incident on February 20 on a train between Preston and Barrow showed Nessling follow the man into the train's toilet and punch him at least five times. As his victim fell to the floor, Nessling stamped on his head leaving the man unconscious as horrified passengers intervened, Lancs Live reports.
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Nessling worked at Michelin starred The Barn at Moor Hall in Aughton, West Lancs, for a month, before the Covid pandemic hit. During lockdown, he worked alongside Simon Rogan, preparing restaurant meals for home delivery before taking on the role of Head Chef at Cockoo Brow Inn, near Ambleside. Mr Rogan also runs the three Michelin starred L'Enclume in Cumbria.
Preston Crown Court heard despite having an "excellent work ethic", Nessling was a “Jekyll and Hyde character” with anger management issues.
One woman told police she deliberately sat in a separate carriage to Nessling after he made her feel uncomfortable on the platform at Preston railway station. She described how Nessling boarded the train at 7.50pm, carrying shot glasses, and sat down next to a group of Black charity workers.
She said as the train set off, Nessling began making racist comments and asked the charity workers if they sold drugs. A younger man sat down beside him and started talking about football, but when it emerged he supported Manchester United, Nessling, a Liverpool FC, supporter became annoyed.
The younger man apologised and took his phone out to take a selfie, but Nessling became more angry, telling him: "Get that phone out of my face." The young man apologised and got up to go to the toilet, but minutes later violence erupted.
"I heard a loud bang behind me and just knew a fight had started", the woman said.
CCTV from the carriage showed Nessling following the young man to the toilet and punching him several times. As the man fell face down onto the floor of the carriage, Nessling stamped on his head at least three times. The woman said: "I felt like I had to intervene or he would have kept on stamping on him."
She attempted to put the man in the recovery position as Nessling returned to his seat. The victim was unconscious and had vomited twice, she added. The train's guard arrived and notified British Transport Police, who arrested the attacker at Grange-Over-Sands station.
Nessling's victim told the court he suffered bruises to his head and was worried about a previous head injury which had required surgery when he was a teenager. Following the attack he felt anxious about going out as he did not know his attacker and feared he could be set upon again. He also said his mother had been affected by the attack and worried about him when he went out for the evening.
Nessling has a number of previous convictions for violence, including an attack on a woman in Spain and a previous attack on a train. Aubrey Sampson, defending, said it was hard to reconcile the hard-working, professional chef with the thuggish character seen on the CCTV. Nessling now lives back at home with his mother and has an offer of work at Liverpool Social in Crosby next month, he added.
Judge Stephen Davies, sentencing, said: "What is clear from the footage, which shows exactly what happened, and from other material which has been produced, is that you are a Jekyll and Hyde character.
"He was left unconscious. He suffered a black eye, swelling and bruising, and a burst blood vessel in his right eye. He recalls nothing about this incident but was left for some time with anxiety while out in public. One of the passengers, who witnessed it, said she too was anxious for some time when travelling on public transport. Seeing that sort of thing happen on a train on a Sunday evening is appalling to watch.
"Fortunately for your victim, his injuries do not appear to have been really serious. You are someone who in my view would benefit from assistance with your anger management, someone who could be punished in the community, and someone who can afford to pay compensation. That punishment is better for you, better for your victim, and better for the community than me sending you straight to prison to come out having achieved very little in that relatively short period of time."
He sentenced Nessling to 15 months suspended for two years with 180 hours of unpaid work, 20 days rehabilitation activity requirements, an order to attend a Thinking Skills program, and £500 compensation to the man he attacked.
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