A man "burst into" his victim's home before headbutting him.
Glen Gardner, of Folly Lane, Warrington, smashed the window of the victim's home, who the ECHO has chosen not to name, with a hammer to gain entry during the early hours on May 26, 2021. Liverpool Crown Court heard on Tuesday how Gardner "made threats" to the victim before grabbing a butter knife and "punching and headbutting" him. Gardner had accused the victim of a crime that he did not commit.
Prosecuting, Nardeen Nemat, said Gardner, who was convicted of burglary at a previous trial, entered the address via the living room window and the hammer was likely used to gain entry, meaning there had been "some degree of planning and organisation".
READ MORE: Maggie Fu hit by 1 star food hygiene rating
The court heard how Gardner has previous convictions, including the rape and kidnap of a 13-year-old in 1993 and battery in 2016. In 2019 he was also before the courts for threatening behaviour.
In a victim personal statement, written by the victim and read out to the court, it heard that this incident on May 26, 2021 has had a "massive impact" on his life. He added he is no longer working and is "always looking over his shoulder". He said he is "always on edge" and his confidence has gone, once being a "happy go lucky person".
He added: "It has changed my life for the worst, I can't get over the offence or get it out of my head."
Defence counsel Carmel Wilde told the court Gardner, 55, "feels sorry for the complainant" as he "shouldn't have been subjected to attack". She added from a younger age, Gardner had "spiralled into daily drinking".
Judge Recorder Cowan said Gardner smashed the windows to the victim's home around 5am before attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm. Despite trying to "grab a kitchen knife", Gardner only managed to get a butter knife before attempting to "stab" him, cutting his thumb.
He added: "You punched and headbutted him during the course of your assault." The court heard how Gardner was angry due to "unfounded allegations" made against the victim and the incident has since left him "struggling with anxiety and depression".
Aggravating features included Gardner's previous convictions as well as him being under the influence of alcohol as Recorder Cowan said: "This offence is so serious only a custodial sentence can be justified." However, the judge said he recognised attempts to "turn your life around".
He told Gardner: "You can't burst into people's houses in the way in which you did and attack them like this without expecting an immediate custodial sentence."
Gardner was given a custodial sentence of two and a half years, of which he will serve half on licence. A restraining order was also made not to contact the victim or enter a street in Warrington.
READ NEXT:
Live as Eurovision 2023 tickets go on sale - prices and updates
Paedophile ‘didn’t realise it was illegal’ to have 15,000 indecent child images
Woman thought dad was going to die after 24-hour wait in A&E corridor
When and where snow will fall as Met Office issues four day weather warning
