A WIDNES man has been sentenced to four years behind bars for inflicting grievous bodily harm (GBH) and possession with intent to supply of cocaine with a potential street value of around £17,000.
Stuart Magee, 28, of Hambleton Close, appeared at Warrington Crown Court on Thursday, November 26.
Judge Nicholas Woodward sentenced Magee to four years in custody, which comprised 40 months for the drugs offence and eight months for the assault charge.
James Coutts, prosecuting, told the court that the defendant had pleaded guilty to two separate sets of offences.
Discussing the drugs matter with the prosecution, the judge said that Magee was found in possession of ‘a large quantity of cocaine’ which included 35 grams of the class A substance and drug paraphernalia.
Mr Coutts added that after initially making no comment in interview with police, Magee later accepted that the drugs were his and that he had intended to sell them for cash following debts ‘in the region of £7,000’.
After the drugs had been ‘cut’, Mr Coutts told the court that their value would be ‘in the region of £17,000’.
The assault offence took place on Friday, September 26, last year, the prosecution told the court after there was an argument between the defendant’s brother and the victim, James Reid, at their workplace in Widnes.
Mr Coutts said that Magee approached Mr Reid in an ‘aggressive’ manner and ‘punched him’ once to the face.
The prosecution said: “Whilst he was arguing with his brother, the defendant came up and was aggressive from the outset.”
Mr Coutts added that the victim suffered a fractured jaw and had to undergo surgery which involved metal plates and screws being inserted.
Though the prosecution said that a doctor’s opinion was that the injury may recover ‘within 24 months’, he added that it also ‘may not recover’.
John Banasko, defending, said that the GBH was ‘not a premeditated’ assault and that when Magee saw the victim arguing with his brother, it was ‘the red flag to the bull’.
Mr Banasko added that his client was ‘very, very remorseful’ and that he would like to ‘apologise to Mr Reid for what he did’.
The defence counsel added that Magee would also pay compensation to the victim, if the court ordered it.
Judge Woodward, sentencing, said that while the assault was ‘unprovoked’, he added that he was ‘not satisfied it was premeditated’.
He added that the GBH offence was committed while on bail for the drugs charge, and added that the single punch broke the victim’s jaw which has had a ‘catastrophic impact’ on him.
The judge also made a restraining order against the victim for five years.
Regarding the drug offence, Judge Woodward said that the defendant was found in possession of cocaine on June 27 last year and that Magee admitted to police he had been ‘street dealing for a period of some six weeks’, with the judge adding that he played a ‘significant role’.
Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/