Man speaks out as dad is banned from contacting him after violent attack at Wigan Infirmary

Stuart Horrigan, 32, has not returned to working as a porter at Wigan Infirmary after the incident in February, as he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

But he now feels he has some closure after his dad Stephen Horrigan, 60, was sentenced by Wigan magistrates.

He denied assaulting Stuart, causing actual bodily harm, at the hospital on February 22, but was found guilty after a trial.

Justices imposed a 12-month community order with 40 hours of unpaid work and told him to pay £150 compensation, £750 prosecution costs and £95 victim surcharge.

A restraining order bans him from contacting Stuart for 12 months.

Stuart, from Martland Mill village, said: “I never want to see him again. That’s why I got a restraining order and why I had screens in court, because I didn’t want to see him.”

Stuart got on well with his dad, of Sandling Drive, Golborne, until an argument seven or eight years ago and they had not spoken since.

He decided to make amends when his partner Melissa Jones became pregnant with their first child last year.

“When I found out we were having a baby, I thought I would like him to have a connection with her. I thought it would bring us closer together as well,” he said.

Stuart and Stephen work as porters at Wigan Infirmary, but did not see each other often due to their shifts, so Stuart wrote a letter to his father.

The pair made up and when Stuart’s daughter was born on December 7 – his father’s birthday – he invited him to meet her.

But Stuart says his dad “kept making excuses” for not meeting her.

As he was leaving work on February 22, his dad asked him to go into an office and a heated discussion took place.

Stuart says the situation escalated and his father took his jacket off, put up his fists “like a boxer” and punched him twice, knocking him to the floor and getting on top of him.

He suffered bruises to both sides of his face, plus scratches to his chin and neck.

Stuart recorded the incident on his phone – with this used as evidence in court.

He says Stephen claimed he acted in self-defence, but the court decided otherwise.

Stuart has not returned to work, after suffering vertigo and PTSD, but hopes to go back soon.

He says he has been asked if he would like to work at a different hospital, but does not want to leave his workplace or change shifts.

Stuart is disappointed with the way hospital bosses dealt with the incident, putting him through a disciplinary process for using abusive language while his father has continued to work.

Alison Balson, WWL’s chief people officer, said: “It is not in WWL’s policy to discuss the details of misconduct cases.

“In this particular case, the trust’s disciplinary policy, which includes consideration of a just and learning culture, was utilised and reflected in the response.

“Psychological support services are available for all our employees and WWL works with employees and their representatives to ensure that all legal requirements, such as restraining orders are fully adhered to.”