Drunk thug who abused and attacked war veteran over wearing a poppy is ripped apart by judge

A drunk thug launched a sickening attack on the former Lord Mayor of Manchester after seeing him wearing a poppy and an Armed Forces medal. Councillor Tommy Judge, 66, boarded a tram from Baguley when he saw Adam Wood, who was drinking from a bottle and being loud.

Wood, 33, turned and said: "What are them medals?" Coun Judge, who represents Sharston in the council chamber, was wearing his Coat of Arms badge for the City of Manchester, a veterans badge and a poppy. "Mr Wood then stood up and approached Mr Judge saying that Mr Judge was not a true war veteran and that Mr Judge should be ashamed," prosecutor Eleanor Gleeson told Manchester Crown Court.

"When his face was inches away from the victim's, he said 'you're not a f***ing veteran you're wearing them on the wrong side." Wood began shouting and swearing at Coun Judge. The Labour local politician moved to a different part of the tram, but Wood followed.

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He tried to grab the badges and rip them from his jacket. Coun Judge pushed Wood away and went to get off the tram at an earlier stop than he had planned. "As Mr Judge walked to the tram door the defendant shouted 'where are you going?'," Ms Gleeson added.

"Mr Judge told him that this was his stop and that he was getting off. The defendant approached from behind and pushed Mr Judge with his hands, using force. The victim purposely tried to hold his feet on the ground, as he did not want to be pushed to the floor on the tram, before the defendant pushed Mr Judge again twice."

Coun Judge managed to get off the tram at Northern Moor, but as he walked away Wood tried to grab the badges again. Wood was arrested on Christmas Eve 2022, telling officers: "You have the wrong person." He later pleaded guilty to assault; and a public order offence.

In a statement read in court, Coun Judge said: "I am now extremely nervous when travelling on public transport. I have used the tram since the incident as I have to attend regular meetings at Manchester Town Hall. I am now constantly wary, and I find myself looking at every stop to see if Wood gets on the tram. I also scan the tram before getting on in case Wood is on the tram already.

"I have never, ever, in my life had issues using public transport, I have always felt safe. I worked as Greater Manchester Transport executive and have worked in that industry for 33 years and I have dealt with characters like Wood before and I have always been okay and been able to look after myself.

"I am 66-years-old now and I do not feel as though I am in a position to be able to fend off people like him. The incident has made me feel like a victim for the first time in my entire life and I am now very wary of people.

"I have always had great dealings with members of the public, so much so that I was the Lord Mayor of Manchester for a period of time and have always engaged well with people. I now feel on edge when I am travelling on public transport and the entire incident has left me feeling wary and worried of this type of thing happening again.

"I no longer feel confident to display my badges as I do not want to draw attention to myself. I am proud of my badges. However, I no longer feel safe wearing them in public."

Betsy Hindle, mitigating for Wood, said: "There is no excusing Mr Wood's behaviour in this case. He accepts this was unpleasant for Mr Judge." She said her client was willing to engage with the probation service to address his alcohol misuse.

"He was extremely intoxicated during this offending," she added. Judge John Potter, sentencing, said of Coun Judge: "There he was, doing nothing but getting a tram journey in Manchester and he was faced by a drunken lout."

"I agree," Wood said from the dock. Judge Potter added: "That victim impact statement makes it quite clear that your victim has felt a significant impact by what you did - he is somebody who for many years has been a public servant. He now finds it difficult and frightening to travel on a tram because of what you did to him."

"I feel ashamed," Wood said. "Be quiet, Mr Wood," the judge told him. "Your behaviour was nothing short of a disgrace. It was bullying. It was humiliating. It was aggressive and, in my opinion, designed to upset a man in the later part of his life who had done absolutely nothing to merit this boorish and offensive behaviour."

Wood, of Hathersage Road, was jailed for two months. When he is released, he will remain subject to a suspended sentence which Manchester JPs imposed on June 19 for a separate public order offence.