Nephew 'lost it' and knocked out uncle in vicious attack at pub in Silverdale

A FATHER who carried out a vicious attack on his uncle in a pub has been spared jail.

Craig Chadwick, aged 37, was drinking with his uncle in The Vine, Silverdale, on July 29, North Staffordshire magistrates heard yesterday.

The court was told that the evening had been calm until at 8.40pm, the uncle appeared to be drunk and started hugging people at the bar.

Prosecutor Jasmine Kumar said two minutes later the uncle gave Chadwick a 'playful dig' in his back.

She said: "All of a sudden the defendant jabs his uncle in his ribs with two punches. He then delivers two more punches to uncle's face."

She added that, despite his uncle being unconscious, Chadwick threw three more punches to his head as he was on the floor.

Miss Kumar said: "Chadwick lashed out at everyone around, pushing people on top of his uncle who was lying on the ground."

Chadwick was ejected from the pub.

"He tried to get back in the bar area and he still seemed in a rage," added Miss Kumar.

Chadwick was arrested and interviewed on August 1.

When the CCTV footage was put to him Chadwick said his uncle had been annoying him all day and had been making remarks about his father.

He saw red and lashed out and could not remember anything else.

He added he was ashamed of what he had done.

The court heard that Chadwick's uncle did not go to hospital for treatment after the attack and did not make a complaint about the violence.

Chadwick, of Farmers Bank, Silverdale, pleaded guilty to affray.

Nick Ryles, mitigating, said Chadwick handed himself into the police and made a full and frank admission.

He said: "He was provoked to a degree by his uncle.

"Both had been drinking. He was chatting with his uncle. His uncle had been making what he (Chadwick) describes as snide comments.

"His uncle said, 'You will never be as good as your father'.

"Chadwick says he just lost it and he struck out. Everything else was a blur."

Mr Ryles conceded there was no excuse for the way Chadwick behaved.

He said the defendant accepted that he had a problem with anger and was bordering on becoming alcohol dependant.

He added that he needed help addressing those problems.

Mr Ryles said: "This was an unpleasant incident which he does deeply regret.

"Sending him to prison is not going to help him to deal with the issues that he has."

Magistrates said that it was a 'vicious, sustained assault which continued even when the victim was unconscious'.

They sentenced Chadwick to six months in prison, suspended for 24 months, with two years' supervision and a requirement he completes the alcohol workbook programme.

He must also pay £85 costs.