Feuding Shelton housemates' milk row turns sour

AN ASYLUM seeker has been jailed after he carried out a sustained attack on a housemate who accused him of using his milk.

Yankuba Touray, aged 36, who is from the Gambia, was housed by the Home Office at an address in Chatham Street, Shelton, from last June.

But he did not get on with another resident who found him to be messy, disruptive and anti social and claimed he stole his food.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court yesterday heard matters came to a head on November 3 when the other man went into the communal kitchen for some milk.

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Prosecutor Heather Chamberlin said: "The defendant was in the kitchen cooking. He swore and punched the other man to the head. The other man ran through the lounge pursued by the defendant who continued to punch at him.

"Terrified, the man ran barefoot in the street outside.

"He fell and the defendant continued to punch and kick at him. The defendant went back inside as members of the public came on the scene."

The victim was left with a cut lip and scratches to his hands and knees.

In his police interview Touray said he had been cooking when the other man came in and started to talk to him about the milk. He said he was assaulted but accepted trying to grab the other man. He added people in the street broke it up.

Touray, of Chatham Street, Shelton, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Jason Holt, mitigating, said Touray suffers from self neglect and social withdrawal and added he did not get on with the other resident.

"Everything erupted over some milk that may have been used," said Mr Holt. "He accepts he has caused some injuries but not the most serious."

Mr Holt added Touray, who was placed in the house and had no choice but to live there, now wants to return to Gambia.

Judge Paul Glenn said the offence was committed while Touray was subject to a community order. Jailing the defendant for eight months, the judge said: "The argument was a trivial one. It erupted into violence, you assaulted him by punching him to the mouth and head-butted him. You repeatedly kicked him to his head and body. He ran into the street and says he was kicked when he fell to the floor."

Judge Glenn said the sentence did not make Touray liable to automatic deportation but hoped his wish to be returned to his homeland is granted.