Man weeps as he is spared jail after terrifying attack on couple

Dayle Anthony Scully was standing in the middle of a busy road in Platt Bridge swinging his push bike around his head.

But inexplicably he then used it as a weapon to bash into the wing of a passing car in a totally unprovoked attack.

When the woman driver’s husband, who was following in a car behind, stopped to comfort his wife, he was also brutally attacked which left his wife fearing he may be about to be murdered.

As police arrived to arrest him, Scully flung a half brick at the patrol car, causing £200 damage to that as well.

Wigan and Leigh Magistrates heard that 26-year-old Scully was upset and depressed about finding himself in a custody battle over his two children and had drunk two three litre bottles of cider.

Scully of Duke Street, Platt Bridge, pleaded guilty to causing £300 criminal damage to an Audi A4 car being driven by Helen Palin, assaulting her husband David Palin, and causing criminal damage to the police vehicle.

Tess Kenyon, prosecuting, told the bench that Mrs Palin had been driving her elderly mother home along Liverpool Road at 5.30pm after a family Sunday lunch, when she first saw Scully in the road whirling his cycle around.

She slowed down and gave him a wide birth but he stepped forward deliberately crashing the cycle into the expensive saloon’s wing.

Although shocked, she continued a distance up the road before stopping to investigate the damage and by this time her husband David, who had witnessed the incident in another car at the rear carrying their children, pulled up behind.

But almost before they had stepped out of the car, Scully had launched an unprovoked attack on Mr Palin,

He was punched in the face and grabbed around the neck and shoulders, put in a headlock and then wrestled to the ground before, in a state of shock, managing to wriggle free.

In a statement to police, Mrs Palin said: “It was very frightening and intimidating - I though that he was going to die.”

Mr Palin, who was treated for whiplash to his neck as well as cuts and bruises is still under the care of a physiotherapist and being treated for depression.

Michael James, defending, said that because of Scully’s level of intoxication, his recollection of the events was “completely non-existent”.

But, added Mr James: “He fully accepts what the witnesses say is true.”

Scully, who is jobless, had a number of ongoing issues in his life including depression caused by splitting up with his partner, who would not let him see the children.

Mr James said: “He wants to get help from the probation services for his drinking, he is begging for help, in fact.

“He can’t explain why he behaved that way on the day and is very apologetic for his actions.”

Sobbing uncontrollably, Scully told the magistrates: “I am disgusted with my life and I want to say sorry to the people. They were scared and that is very wrong. I just want help to change my life, it won’t happen again.”

The presiding magistrate warned Scully that he had only escaped going to prison by the smallest of margins.

But the court had decided to give him another chance because he had shown genuine remorse.

He was sentenced to serve a nine months long Community Order including attendance on an alcohol treatment course and must also honour a 7am to 7pm curfew for the next three months. He must also pay £300 compensation to Mr and Mrs Palin.