Wannabe plumber beat man with baseball bat in 'disgraceful' and 'ugly' episode of violence

A wannabe plumber was seen smacking a man with a bicycle seat and trying to hit him with a baseball bat.

James Rutherford, 43, was captured on Middlesbrough Council CCTV beating the man at Vaughan Shops in Netherfields, Middlesbrough, on October 15. Rutherford was spotted hitting and kicking the man, as children on bikes looked on.

The incident took place at around 5.05pm and was described as "disgraceful" by Judge Jo Kidd. Prosecutor Charlie Thompson described the dad striking the man twice with a bicycle seat before wrestling him to the ground.

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On the floor, he hit him in the head before kicking his upper body. Mr Thompson said he then left the scene only to return five minutes later with a baseball bat.

He said: "As the man was stood in the doorway of a local shop he ran towards him and swung the baseball bat at his head. The complainant avoided it and closed the door in front of him.

"There were several children in the vicinity of the shops who were on bicycles and observed much of what happened."

Mr Thompson said the Middlesbrough defendant has a number of convictions for violent matters, and on this occasion pleaded guilty to:

• affray,

• possession of an offensive weapon,

• failure to comply with a suspended sentence order.

Rutherford's barrister Nigel Soppitt said his client accepts he carried out unacceptable violence in a public place. He said Rutherford claims the affray was started by the complainant who the defendant claims stabbed him in the back and the neck with a screwdriver.

Mr Soppitt said: "There's some evidence of it, his injuries are consistent with that. He said he simply lost control."

Mr Soppitt said the defendant's father has a plumbing and heating business and has plans to work for him on release from prison. He also said he looks after his sister and has a job in prison as a cleaner.

Judge Kidd sentenced the defendant, of Teak Street, to 12 months in prison, she told the defendant: "Whatever the background to your fight, you engaged in behaviour which for a man of your age and experience is absolutely disgraceful. It was in full view of members of the public in an area of significant footfall.

"It was an ugly incident, it was persistent and once it had seemingly come to an end you chose to return back to the scene armed with a baseball bat."

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