Man broke his friend’s jaw in shock attack before paying for his taxi to hospital

Thomas Ridings, 23, had organised to meet his friend at a bus stop on the evening of March 23 last year when he launched a surprise attack on him.

The pair had been childhood friends, having known each other for a decade.

But Ridings, of Corn Mill Drive, Farnworth, attacked his friend for reasons which remain unclear. 

He appeared at Bolton Crown Court on December 6 this year to be sentenced for grievous bodily harm. 

Prosecuting, Tanya Elahi said: “The pair had been friends for over 10 years. On March 23 last year, the victim arranged to meet the defendant at a bus stop in Bolton at 9pm. 

“He saw the defendant there using his mobile phone and greeted him. The defendant put his phone in his pocket, grabbed him with both hands and shook him against the glass bus stop.” 

He then shook him back and forth against the bus stop around “three or four times”. 

Ms Elahi added: “On the fourth time he lifted the victim so that his feet were no longer on the floor. 

“The victim said ‘let go now please’ and told the defendant he could go to town on his own, and he loosened his grip. 

“Then he punched him, using his right fist and connecting with the lower jaw on his left hand side. 

“The victim stumbled and hit the left side of his face on the bus stop.” 

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He then made his way to a nearby Asda and checked himself in the mirror, seeing that his jaw was “protruding out” and he was bleeding from the gums. 

Following this, another friend contacted the victim so he could help him get to hospital. 

When they met, the friend appeared with Ridings, who took £20 of cash out of a cashpoint and gave it to the victim to get a taxi to hospital. 

The victim suffered a fractured jaw and had to go into surgery for two hours. 

He was arrested and interviewed by police on April 20 last year and gave a “no comment” interview. 

In his victim personal statement, the victim told how the attack had “made him depressed” and that it was a surprise, with he and the defendant having only been on holiday shortly before the attack. 

He also said that things would “never be the same” and he “never wanted to see him ever again”. 

Ridings has no previous convictions and was 21 at the time of the offence.

He was found guilty of the offence at trial. 

Defending, Verity Quaite highlighted how the attack was “out of character” for him and that he has not committed any further offences since. 

She added that Ridings has been “devastated” by the loss of his good friend. 

Ms Quaite also highlighted the probation service’s pre-sentence report, which judged him as having a “realistic” chance of rehabilitation. 

She added that he has also recently purchased a property with his partner, who would not be able to keep up the mortgage payments on her own. 

Sentencing, Recorder Andrew Vinson said: “This concerns a former friend of yours, with whom you had been friends since childhood, for 10 years, and a rather surprising turn of events. 

“The victim had to undergo two hours of surgery to deal with the damage you caused. You had broken his jaw. 

“It had to be refixed, that is a serious outcome to the punch you threw.” 

However he recognised the mitigating factors, such as how long it had been since the offence and the homes” target=”_blank”>house Ridings has with his partner. 

Recorder Vinson sentenced him to a 12-month community order and 200 hours of unpaid work. 

He added: “Please let this be a lesson to you. You appear to be on the right course in life, this appears to be an aberration.”

Source – INDIA TV