Birkenhead man jailed for drug-fuelled attack on 61-year-old

Sep 24 2008 by Sue McCann, Birkenhead News

A BIRKENHEAD man, who knocked out a man almost three times his age, was on Friday jailed for 21 months.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that Michael Devey attacked 61-year-old Bernard Harrison, breaking his ankle, because he feared for his sister’s safety.

But Devey, a binge drinker, accepted that he had over-reacted after taking a cocktail of alcohol and drugs.

Zia Chaudhry, prosecuting, said the incident happened at about 1 am on June 10 last year as Mr Harrison was walking his daughter home after a night out at the Windmill public house in the Woodchurch area.

Outside Beechwood Social Club they encountered Devey and members of his family, including his sister, with whom Mr Harrison’s daughter had previously had problems.

Devey punched the daughter and Mr Harrison grabbed hold of him and pushed him away. He turned round but Devey grabbed his shirt, turned him round and repeatedly punched him in the face, knocking him out.

After he fell unconscious to the ground, Devey kicked him on the leg, “like a footballer would kick,” said Mr Chaudhry.

At hospital he was found to have a laceration to his top lip which needed four stitches, a swollen tongue and left eye and blurred vision. His ankle was in plaster for a month.

Devey, 22, of Caldwell Drive, Woodchurch, pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Neil Gunn, defending, said that Devey, who has a previous similar conviction, had acted to protect his sister but, because he was drunk and had taken cocaine, had mistakenly perceived the risk to her.