Wigan thug who attacked football fan and left him for dead given community sentence

A Wigan thug who attacked an innocent football fan and left him for dead in the street has finally been sentenced more than a year later.

Dominic McPherson, of Gidlow Lane, has been given a community sentence after carrying out an unprovoked attack on two unsuspecting friends last June.

His victim, Mark Collier from Golborne, had been watching the England and Tunisia World Cup game in Ashton with his friend Adam Buckley when the pair were set upon.

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After receiving a blow to the head, Mark fell unconscious and did not come round until the next morning in Salford Royal Hospital’s intensive care unit.

Adam was also hit in the assault, which took place outside a taxi rank on Wigan Road.

Following the attack, Mark - who has recently become a dad - spoke out about the devastating effects that the attack had on his life, including the temporary loss of his landscaping business.

The 30-year-old, who is due to marry next year, lost thousands of pounds in wages after suffering from vertigo and a loss of hearing which rendered him unable to work. After an agonising eight-month wait, Mark and Adam finally watched their attacker plead guilty at Bolton Crown Court in February this year.

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The pair were hit with another blow when the judge chose to defer sentencing for six months to give McPherson the chance to raise £1,500 in compensation.

Last week McPherson was brought back to the court before Judge Timothy Stead to face his sentence.

For the charge of wounding (GBH) without intent, he was given 12 months in prison suspended for 18 months and for the assault he was sentenced for two months to run concurrently also suspended.

McPherson will have to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and has been ordered to pay Mark £1,500 in compensation in the next 28 days.

Mark said he is happy with the result.

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“I want him to regret how much he has made us suffer and if he is apologetic about it, I am happy with the justice,” he said.

“Anyone can have an angry moment and punch someone, not knowing the consequences and what it will cause and then wish they never did it.

“He could be a decent lad trying to have a good career.

“At least he now has 18 months to think again before acting out.

“It was said that he has been suffering illnesses including a cancer scare, if so I hope all is well with that. I can now get on with life now that we have closure.”

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