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A 54-year-old man must do community service and pay compensation to his victim after pleading guilty to two counts of assault and one count of resisting arrest during an alcohol-fuelled night in Town.
In the Magistrate's Court yesterday, Judge Graeme McKerrell told Gregory Francis Forino – Managing Director of GFF Flooring - that his behaviour was "no better than that of a drunken thug".
Forino was with his friend and business partner at Amigos bar in the North Plantation on 14 November last year when they were recognised and approached by another man who would become Forino's victim.
Crown Advocate Chris Dunford told the Magistrate’s Court that “without warning” Forino punched the victim in the head, causing him to lose consciousness.
Forino, accompanied by his friend, was immediately removed from the bar by staff.
Outside the bar, the victim approached the pair again, appearing to offer a handshake to Forino's friend. But Forino then delivered a “throw punch” to the victim’s throat, causing him to fall to the ground.
The victim did not sustain serious injuries from the assaults.
Police later located Forino in Fountain Street, where he was arrested.
Advocate Dunford told the Court that over an extended period Forino was “non-cooperative...abusive...[and] refused to enter the van”.
Both assault incidents were captured on CCTV and body-camera footage captured by the Police supported the charge of resisting arrest.
Pictured: Forino was sentenced in the Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
Defence Advocate Simon Florance told the Court that Forino was very intoxicated on the night and repeatedly stated that the behaviour was “out of character” for his client.
He said that Forino’s recollection of the night was “very limited” and that Forino believed the victim was “bothering his business partner”.
Advocate Florance said that Forino's second punch “just happened to connect with the throat” and that Forino could not explain to police officers why he “behaved in the way he did”.
The Court was also told that Forino had been going through a difficult period over the past two years.
Advocate Florance said that Forino “feels he let down his community”.
Judge Graeme McKerrell gave credit for Forino’s early guilty plea, previous good character and references.
But he added that, at age 54, Forino “ought to know better”, and he acknowledged that the custody threshold had been met.
Judge McKerrell suggested that Forino’s business partner could look after himself and that the arresting officers did not deserve the “continuous abuse” they received.
He sentenced Forino to 140 hours' community service for each assault charge, with another 40 hours for resisting arrest, which will run concurrently.
He was also ordered to pay £500 compensation to the victim.
“You don’t get a second chance,” said Judge McKerrell.
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