Man 'saw red' when helping a woman

Sunday 11 August 2019

A man has been given a lengthy Community Service Order for taking what he might have thought as an act of chivalry several steps too far.

Adrian Dodd, 21, will have to complete 120 hours of unpaid work as a direct alternative to three months in prison after he assaulted another man on Havilland Street last Christmas.

It was around midnight on the 20 December 2018 when the assault took place.

The victim was walking back to his flat along with his partner and a woman. The victim wanted to speak to his partner alone, so asked if the woman could leave them alone - he then threatened to 'throw a bike' at her if she didn't leave. 

At this point, the Court heard how the woman had contacted Dodd asking for his help because of the threat. 

As the victim continued to walk to his flat, Dodd and another man came running out of Union Street and attacked him. While Dodd's accomplice quickly stepped away, the defendant continued to assault the man for some time, before his victim managed to escape, get inside his flat and call the police. 

Dodd ran at the man from Union Street, which was caught on CCTV. 

Defending advocate Sam Steel said his client had been planning on confronting the victim about the allegations surrounding the woman. He also said the victim and defendant had a history between each other, but nothing had ever happened. When Dodd did see the man, he "saw red" and was "overcome with anger". 

The case has only just reached sentencing because the other man involved in the assault pleaded not guilty, but was sentenced to a pass over after trial. Additionally, Dodd failed to attend the Magistrate's Court on the 11 February, resulting in him facing another criminal charge. 

Advocate Steel said this was down to disorganisation, and was not intended as a sign of disrespect of the court. He also argued his client had already had to worry about the possibility of prison time for months, even though the delay was mostly out of his hands. 

Having read about Dodd's background, Judge Graeme McKerrell assessed him as having been 'work shy' so far in his life - something he said he was going to try and change with his sentencing powers.

"So far you have been a taker from and not a giver to society," he said, "I am going to do something to reverse that, and take a leap of faith today."

Judge McKerrell also remarked how no matter what Dodd had been told by the woman before coming to help her, there was no justification for such a sustained assault. 

Dodd's Community Service Order was in direct alternative to three months of custody, and the sentence also encompassed the charge of failing to attend court. 

Pictured top: Guernsey's Court Building.