Man narrowly avoids jail after drunken attack on boy, 14

A man has admitted drunkenly attacking a 14-year-old boy, threatening a woman and causing criminal damage.

Robert Russell, 42, of Hindsford Bridge Mews, Atherton, appeared before Wigan and Leigh justices to admit assaulting the boy by beating, sending a menacing phone message to a woman, using violence to get into a house in Tyldesley and smashing the woman’s £200 mobile phone.

The bench gave him an 18-week prison sentence, but suspended it for 18 months.

They said the crime warranted custody because Russell had attacked a vulnerable minor and had returned to the scene more than once while in a state of intoxication on March 1.

As well as the suspended jail sentence, he was also put under supervision for 18 months, must complete 10 days of rehabilitation activities and pay a total of £300 to his victims plus £128 to victim services. Russell was also hit with a 12-month restraining order preventing contact with the victims and banning him entering the street where they live.

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