A karaoke bar singer was knocked out cold by another customer who thought he was "taking the mick".
Scott Lyon, 32, punched an innocent singer in the face before calmly putting his pint down and walking out of Coco's karaoke bar in Westfield Street, St Helens. His victim, Terrance Daniels, fell off the stage as a result of the unprovoked blow and suffered injuries including a broken rib, an injured cheek and bruising as well as psychological damage.
Liverpool Crown Court heard when Lyon was arrested seven months later he said he had been having a "psychotic episode" and feeling "paranoid" at the time. He said he took “a swing at him because I thought he was taking the mick out of me". He said he thought the victim was singing about working and was taking the mick because he was not working.
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Chris Taylor, prosecuting, said the incident occurred at 6.45pm on May 31 last year. Mr Daniels was using the karaoke machine when he was punched to the right side of his face causing him to fall off the stage and hurt his shoulder when he landed.
He was taken home but later went to St Helens' walk-in centre and was directed to Whiston A&E where his jaw was x-rayed. It was not broken but a tooth had pierced the inside of his mouth and the cut needed gluing.
He went baclk a few days later because he was in so much pain and a CT scan revealed he had a rib fracture and was prescribed pain killers. In an impact statement Mr Daniels, who is retired, told how he had been badly shaken up and suffered painful injuries.
He said his face was swollen for seven weeks and his cheek was left scarred. He had to return again to hospital as his rib injury led to a lung infection which could have turned into pneumonia. He also suffered nightmares, anxiety and panic attacks.
Judge Stuart Driver, KC, said that the consequences for the victim were bad and ,unfortunately, it happened because the defendant had not been taking medication for his long-term mental health problem. The court heard he was hospitalised under the Mental Health Act between June and November and is now taking his medication.
Lyon, of Harris Gardens, St Helens, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm.
Judge Driver. said: “You caused serious harm to a completely innocent man who was doing no damage to anybody when he was cheerfully singing on the karaoke."
But he said that the defendant’s culpability was in the lowest category because his mental health disorder was linked to the commission of the offence.
He continued: “You misunderstood what he was singing about due to your long-term mental health condition… You have schizo-affective disorder and had not been taking your medication.”
He sentenced him to six months imprisonment suspended for 12 months and ordered him to carry rehabilitation activities for 25 days.
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