A man who punched a teenager just hours after he had been handed a suspended sentence has been jailed for seven months.
Jason Craig Quayle denied the common assault charge but was found guilty after a trial in summary court.
Quayle swore repeatedly as magistrates sentenced him to one month custody for the assault and also ordered him to serve the full six-month sentence, which had previously been suspended.
He then spat in the face of a police officer.
Magistrates sentenced him to six months custody, suspended for two years.
Despite this, later that night on June 16, Quayle was sitting near the skate park on Peel promenade at 11.30pm with a female.
We previously reported that the victim was walking past with his brother and a friend when he said Quayle shouted: ‘What are you looking at?’
The 17-year-old responded, saying: ‘You.’
This prompted Quayle to say ‘I’ll take your head off’ then square up to him, before punching him on the side of the face.
Quayle, who lives at Reayrt Ny Chrink, Crosby, was later arrested for the assault and when interviewed, handed in a prepared statement.
He said there had been a verbal argument initially and claimed that the victim had swung a fist at him.
Quayle claimed he had responded by using an open palm.
He pleaded not guilty to common assault but was found guilty in summary court after a trial.
Defence advocate Paul Glover said: ‘Mr Quayle knows there is a significant chance of custody today, but we would ask what would sending him to custody actually achieve?
‘He is working full-time as a fisherman. If sent to custody he would lose his job.
‘He would go to prison, come out, and be without a job.
‘He may not be able to find gainful employment for some time.’
Mr Glover said that his client had been making progress while on probation and if he was sent to jail that progress would be interrupted.
‘Mr Quayle is dedicated and motivated to change his behaviour going forward,’ said the advocate.
‘He has shown in the last six or seven months he is capable of making changes in his life.
‘We would ask that he be given one final opportunity. This is his longest period of time without a conviction since 2018 which shows that probation is working and he has turned a corner in his life.’
Magistrates' chair David Nash told Quayle: ‘We can’t ignore the fact the offence was committed within hours of you being given a suspended sentence for another offence of violence.’
Quayle was also ordered to serve 62 days for non-payment of fines, but magistrates allowed that to run concurrently to his seven month sentence.