Rugby man jailed for attacking his victim with a golf club outside a pub following an argument inside

After arguing with him in a pub, a Rugby man waited outside armed with a golf club and attacked a friend of his father, leaving him with blood pouring down his face.

And William Richardson (25) of The Browns Gardens, Rugby, was jailed for 21 months after pleading guilty at Warwick Crown Court to assaulting his victim causing him actual bodily harm.

Prosecutor Amrisha Parathalingam said that in February a friend of Richardson’s father, Norman McKay, was in the Griffin pub in Rugby when he was joined at the bar by Richardson.

But their conversation became heated, and Richardson was said to have jabbed his finger into Mr McKay’s eye, at which the older man reacted by punching him.

As a result of the incident Richardson was ejected from the pub, but remained outside beckoning to Mr McKay to come out, but he ignored him.

A little later Mr McKay left through a side entrance, but was confronted by Richardson who had armed himself with a golf club which he swung at him, hitting him to the head.

Mr McKay retreated back into the pub with blood pouring down his face to clean himself up.

He then walked to Richardson’s father’s home, followed by Richardson who would rush towards him but then back off when he turned round.

When he got there, he told Richardson’s father what had happened, and his father found that one of his golf clubs was missing.

The police were called, and Richardson was arrested, and meanwhile Mr McKay was taken to hospital where he was treated for a 3cm wound to his head and a fractured nose and cheekbone.

Richardson, whose previous convictions included one for causing grievous bodily harm, told the police he had been punched by Mr McKay before being ejected from the pub.

He had then gone to get the golf club, but he claimed that outside the pub Mr McKay had gone to hit him again, so he had hit him with the club two or three times.

Richard Baker, defending, said: “The defendant may be eligible for a Thinking Skills programme if Your Honour would adjourn for an assessment.”

But, refusing to do so, Judge Peter Cooke commented: “This is a man with four previous convictions who has gone to fetch a golf club and returned to the scene and belaboured an older man about the head. No.”

Mr Baker said Richardson could not remember why the conversation at the bar turned sour, and did not recall poking Mr McKay in the eye, but accepted he may have done so accidentally.

Outside, he said Mr McKay had lunged towards him, so he had hit him two or three times.

“He feels ashamed and disgusted that he has brought this at his father’s door. He would like to apologise to Mr McKay and for putting a strain on his relationship with his father.”

Jailing Richardson, who was subject to a community order for burglary and assault at the time, Judge Cooke said: “You got into a silly argument, fuelled by drink, which turned aggressive.

“I don’t look into the rights and wrongs, and it is said you poked him in the eye, but I am willing to accept that was an accident.

“But you went off into the night, and instead of putting yourself to bed, you armed yourself with a golf club and went off looking for him.

“It all kicked off again, and you ended up whacking him over the head. I have seen the injuries, they are nasty.

“On the more positive side, you are genuinely remorseful and you are exhibiting a good insight into alcohol being your problem – but we can’t have golf clubs being used in this way.”