A workplace bully’s steel toe-capped boot attack on a colleague put him in a coma – causing the victim having to take medication for the rest of his life.
On September 17 last year, Nicholas Walsh, 54, unleashed an unprovoked attack upon Shaun Davies at Pritchard’s in Llantrisant. The defendant was said to have carried out “protracted bullying” towards the victim which a judge described as going further than “workplace horseplay”, reports Wales Online.
A sentencing hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Friday heard the incident began with the defendant grabbing Mr Davies’ penis and testicles, and making a sexualised comment towards him. Sentencing, Judge Jeremy Jenkins said: “That hadn’t been the first time you had behaved like that towards him. In previous incidents it had been brushed off or ignored by Mr Davies but on that particular day he had tired of your behaviour towards him, he stood up to you and told you to f*** off.” F or the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter here
In response to this, Walsh pushed Mr Davies away and returned to his work station, a cage where he would operate large machinery. Later that day, the victim attempted to make peace with the defendant and was seen on CCTV walking towards his work station.
But upon seeing Mr Davies walking towards him, Walsh responded by standing up and from a greater height than the victim he kicked him to the chin and neck forcefully with his steel toe-capped boots. He then jumped from the cab on top of Mr Davies and continued to punch him until he was pulled off by co-workers.
Mr Davies felt instant pain and felt difficulty breathing following the assault. He was taken to hospital where he underwent surgery and was in a coma for three days. The defendant was interviewed and lied by claiming he was the victim but the CCTV footage proved this was not the case.
Walsh, of Bassett Street, Abercynon, later pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent. The court heard he has eight previous convictions for offences such as assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
As a result of the assault, Mr Davies said he is suffering with severe depression and has been unable to return to work. He said his injuries have affected his social life and is now required to take medication for the rest of his life to avoid the risk of strokes.
In mitigation, Giles Hayes said his client had acted “impulsively” and had not thought about the consequences of his actions. He said the defendant had lost his job because of the assault, and while he has been in custody his partner has been caring for his 74-year-old mother who was dependent on him. The barrister said his client is a “family man and hard working man” who “deeply regrets” his actions.
Walsh was sentenced to four years and nine months imprisonment. He will serve two thirds of the sentence in custody before he is released to serve the remainder on licence.
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