A VICIOUS knuckleduster attack was launched by a man who landed a dozen blows on his unsuspecting victim before being dragged away.
Despite his attack being clearly captured by a CCTV camera in a Coventry social club, Anthony Delaney at first denied the assault – but eventually pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court.
Delaney, 43, of Meriden Street, Coventry, was jailed by Judge Sally Hancox for 14 months ‘from today.’
But as a result of the incident, he has already been recalled to prison to serve the rest of an eight-year sentence imposed in 2012 for post office robberies – from which he is now not due to be released until August 2020.
Prosecutor Gary Cook said that on March 31 the victim was having a drink with friends in the Willenhall Social Club in Coventry at about 4.30 in the afternoon.
They were sitting with their backs to Delaney, who was at a nearby table.
Delaney, who had his left arm in a black sling, seemed rather agitated, and kept looking across at them, before putting a knuckleduster on his right hand.
Saying to himself ‘Are you ready?’ he got up, walked up behind the victim, who was not aware he was there, and without warning punched him to the side of the head from behind.
With the knuckleduster on his fist, he then continued to rain punches on the victim, landing a total of a dozen blows before shocked regulars rushed over to pull him away.
The victim, who was bleeding from four cuts to his head and forehead, was assisted by other club members who called for an ambulance which took him to A&E for treatment to the cuts, which were glued.
Delaney was identified from the CCTV recording, and when he was arrested the next day he had spots of the victim’s blood on his clothes.
When he was questioned, he said he did not know what the officer was on about, and after being shown the recording, he said he could not remember what he had done because he had been drunk, but denied having a knuckleduster.
In a statement, the victim said he was ‘a peaceful man,’ and was ‘at a loss’ to understand why he had been attacked, adding that he felt lucky his injuries were not more serious.
Mr Cook pointed out that Delaney had previous convictions for violence, and was on licence at the time from an eight-year sentence for robberies at post offices in Baddesley Ensor and Hampton-in-Arden.
Laura Culley, defending, said Delaney, who had only been out of prison for two months at the time, had recently been diagnosed with autism and ADHD, and had also had a fall down some steps which led to an operation on his shoulder.
As a result, he was on a large amount of prescription medication, ‘and what he should not have done, he realises, is go out and drink.’
In relation to the assault, Miss Culley added: “It is his case that he does know (the victim), and there had been some history between (the victim’s) family and the Delaney family in the past.”
Jailing Delaney, Judge Sally Hancox told him: “On the afternoon of the 31st of March you carried out an armed unprovoked attack on a man who was minding his own business having a drink with friends in a social club.
“Whether there was a dispute between your family and his or not, you put on a knuckleduster and walked over to where that man was sitting.
“He could not have seen you approaching, and you delivered a dozen blows before other people intervened to usher you away. If they had not, one wonders how long this assault would have continued.”
And she pointed out: “Any sentence I pass today will be subsumed by your recall, but will be taken into account when you are next considered for parole.”
