Louth man assaulted two strangers in Eastgate

Chesney Edward Place, of Freer Gardens, appeared in court on April 12 where he admitted assaulting Jermome Higging-Commonwick in Eastgate on October 27, and also admitted assaulting Liam Beaumont-Jones twice - once causing him actual bodily harm - on November 1,

Nick Todd, prosecuting, said Mr Higging-Commonwick was disturbed at around 11.30pm on October 27 by the sound of dustbins being knocked over outside his home and went to investigate.

He saw Place kick over some bins and decided to film him on his mobile phone but was chased by Place who punched him twice in the face.

Mr Todd said that in the other assault, Mr Beaumont-Jones, who was a visitor to the town and didn’t know Louth well, became involved in an altercation in Eastgate with Place, who punched him once in the face.

A short time later, said Mr Todd, Mr Beaumont-Jones had got lost and went up to a group of people to ask for directions, but unfortunately Place was in the group and he hit him in the face again, this time breaking his nose.

He said that Place, who has 12 previous convictions including four for assault, was arrested later but said he was ‘so drunk’ he could not remember anything.

Mitigating, Asad Aziz said Place had been going through a ‘difficult time’ following the break up of a long term relationship and had been ‘living erratically’, drinking too much and using ‘any illegal substances he could get hold of’.

Mr Aziz said Place, who had been placed on a community order since these offences and was doing well on them, had spent 13 weeks on remand in prison before sentence and there had been a ‘marked improvement’ in him since then.

Probation officer Barbara Newman said Place was due to attend drug and alcohol misuse, rehabilitation activity and anger management training and was responding and cooperating with the order.

The magistrates imposed a 12 week prison sentence suspended for two years and ordered the community order to continue.

Place was also ordered to pay £80 in compensation to Mr Beaumont-Jones, and to pay £85 in costs.