Thug whacked man with golf club and robbed another after punching him to ground

Hartington Road, Stockton
-Credit: (Image: Teesside Live)


A street-fighting thug was captured on camera whacking a man with a golf club.

Ashley Simpson, 38, also got into a fight with another man, and the two were filmed on CCTV punching each other, before the other man fell to the ground. As he was slumped against a wall, Simpson stole £185 in cash from him.

Teesside Crown Court heard that the fight took place because Simpson suspected the man was behind a hammer attack last year, where two men approached Simpson from behind and smashed his skull.

Golf club attack

On Wednesday, the court heard that CCTV operatives captured Simpson hitting another man over the shoulder, with a golf club, on August 14 last year. Simpson got into the altercation on Hartington Road in Stockton.

Tabitha Buck, prosecuting, said she had no information about what caused the fight, but that there were members of the public around, and a while later, the victim walked off with Simpson.

Another man - Shaun Rudd - then picked up the golf club. Teesside Magistrates' Court previously heard how it is not clear if Rudd hit anyone, but he admitted the possession of an offensive weapon. Rudd was given a suspended sentence in August.

Second fight

Simpson was captured in a second fight, on West Row in Stockton, in the middle of the day. The court heard that another man punched Simpson on March 22, but that Simpson punched back and got the better of the man, leaving him slumped against a wall, on the ground.

The victim's keys and wallet fell out of his pocket as he fell, and Simpson stole £185 in cash from the wallet. He was captured walking away just after 1.40pm. Simpson's defence barrister, Johnny Walker, said that his client suspected the victim had been in someway behind a previous attack on Simpson.

"Two men approached him from behind, with hammers" Mr Walker told the court, "Mr Simpson suffered a fracture to his skull. This is the reason behind the street punching."

Guilty

Simpson, of Dunelm Road in Stockton, pleaded guilty to the possession of an offensive weapon; assault occasioning actual bodily harm and to theft. He has been in prison on remand since March.

In mitigation, Mr Walker said that his client "is frustrated in prison - it's not an easy existence. He's already served, I submit, the punitive term. At 38, if he's ever going to change, it's likely to be now."

"Can I just say - if court's willing to let me out today, I don't think you'd see me again. I don't think you would," said Simpson.

Simpson was jailed for 10 months. The 25-weeks he has already served will be taken off his sentence.

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