COURT: Man punched victim during attack outside Harrogate bar

Michael Isley, 27, kicked, punched and stamped on one of the victims and kneed the other in the head during three separate attacks on Knaresborough Road.

Police were called out and found Isley hiding in a neighbouring property.

Officers had to use a Taser gun to bring him under control, York Crown Court heard.

Isley, who has used various aliases in the past and was formerly known as Costello, was arrested and charged with two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He admitted the charges and appeared for sentence on Thursday, March 2.

Prosecutor Nicola Alistari said violence erupted following an incident involving a female who was being pestered by Isley inside a bar on Knaresborough Road.

One of the two male victims, who were friends of the woman, went to talk to Isley in a “calm” fashion, but the defendant started shouting at him and launched an attack outside the bar in which he punched and kicked the man.

“They were grappling and (the victim) ended up on the ground,” said Ms Alistari. “He was kicked and stamped on by the defendant.”

The victim’s male friend, who was also named in court, tried to pull Isley off his pal but the defendant responded by punching him to the ground too.

Ms Alistari said the victim blacked out momentarily but managed to get back on his feet, whereupon Isley kneed him in the side of the head.

The blow caused bruising and swelling to his face.

The man who had been kicked and stamped on went back inside the bar to clean himself up before leaving.

On his way home, Isely appeared again, running up behind him and punching him to the ground once more.

Isley again kicked and stamped on the man, who suffered an L-shaped cut to his forehead, “numerous” lumps and swelling to the head, swollen eyes, cuts and grazes to his knees and bruising to his chest and arms.

“Police were called to the scene and found the defendant in a nearby garden acting somewhat odd,” said Ms Alistari.

“He challenged the officers to come and find him and was holding a garden fork to his neck.

"Police had to use a Taser because of his threatening manner.”

Ms Alistari said Isley had previous convictions for violence but had hitherto only served one short prison sentence in 2015.

Defence barrister Andrew Semple said Isley, of St Andrews Place, Harrogate, had been getting help for his alcohol problem through the Horizons support agency.

Judge Paul Batty QC condemned Isley for his vicious attack on the two victims, who were both in their 30s.

He jailed Isley for two years.