York man receives curfew for attacks (From York Press)

Martin Cooke receives curfew for York attacks

7:30am Thursday 31st January 2013 in News By Megi Rychlikova, megi.rychlikova@thepress.co.uk

A MAN who punched a landlord while on bail for assaulting another man in a street attack has been given a chance to stay out of jail.

But Martin Cooke has been ordered to stay indoors for the next eight weeks under a nightly curfew and pay compensation to the two victims.

Martin Townend, prosecuting, said Cooke had hit another man, William Stubbs, in the mouth as he was walking home on Tanner Road in the early hours of March 11 after Cooke said something, and Mr Stubbs asked what he was talking about.

He denied the charge, but magistrates convicted him at trial of assaulting Mr Stubbs, and adjourned sentencing him while a probation report was prepared.

Cooke, who was released on bail, went to the Shoulder of Mutton in Heworth Green one night, but was asked to leave for being aggressive. He responded by punching landlord Brendan Carlyle on the nose.

Cooke, of Walmgate, admitted assaulting the landlord.

Magistrates gave Cooke a total of five months’ imprisonment for both assaults and suspended the sentence for 18 months on condition he does 18 months’ supervision, goes on a rehabilitation course and observes the eight-week curfew between 9pm and 6am every night.

He must also pay each victim £50 and a £80 Government imposed victim surcharge.

His solicitor, Richard Minion, said: “On each occasion he made the wrong decision to lash out. Both offences were committed under the influence of alcohol.”

He said Cooke had problems because he did not have a steady job and there were uncertainties about whether he could keep his accommodation; however, he was not an alcoholic, but did from time to time drink too much.

He said Cooke had not targeted either victim and each assault had been a single punch with neither attack resulting in serious injury.