Man attacked Wigan couple at taxi rank after boozy night out

Connor Dix-Baker assaulted Paul Raynard and Kelly Walsh after the former tried to stop him abusing other revellers in the street.

The 24-year-old, from Wilderspool Causeway, Warrington, had been drinking all night and also had a bag of MDMA with him, when the assault took place.

Dix-Baker pleaded guilty to two counts of assault, possession of a Class A drug and being drunk and disorderly in a public place.

Wigan magistrates heard the couple had been out socialising in Wigan town centre and afterwards saw a commotion in the Wallgate taxi queue involving a topless Dix-Baker shouting aggressively at bystanders.

Dix-Baker’s behaviour escalated when he tried to kiss a woman in the queue, at which point Mr Raynard confronted him. Dix-Baker squared up to him and became aggressive, then pushed Ms Walsh to the ground when she tried to separate the pair. She was pushed over again when she tried to split them a second time, resulting in an ankle sprain.

The two men then threw a flurry of punches at each other until other members of the public intervened. Police arrived and detained Dix-Baker, who was so aggressive that he had to be taken to the ground to be detained.

Defending, Kathryn Lloyd said her client suffered a broken wrist, two black eyes and bruised ribs being restrained by members of the public who had intervened and “perhaps took things too far.”

He did not recall being aggressive, she said, but was “disgusted with himself” and tearful when his actions were recounted to him.

“The level of remorse he has shown is quite unusual for a defence solicitor to see,” Ms Lloyd told the court.

“He is mortified by the injuries he inflicted,” she added.

“His remorse is quite clear and quite genuine.”

He was given a 12-month community order, consisting of a seven-week curfew and a 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement of 10 days. He must also pay £100 compensation and £170 costs.