Thug, 31, launched unprovoked attack on man in his…

Thug, 31, launched unprovoked attack on man in his home then attacked couple he sought refuge with

A thug launched an unprovoked attack on a man in his home - then attacked a couple he sought refuge with. Connor Bentham, 31, initially shouted the man’s name which led him to open the door, before he began raining punches down on him.

Alongside another man, Bentham attacked him for a few minutes, until the victim began grappling with him, Manchester Crown Court heard. The victim, who’s previous work as a doorman meant that he knew Bentham, got on top of him and punched him to calm him down.

As the other man pulled the victim away, he ran to a neighbours house and asked for help, whilst being pursued by Bentham. He attacked him again, and also attacked the couple who had given him refuge.

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During the fracas, Bentham told him he wanted to ‘blow his head off’ and said he ‘knows where he lives’. He then got into his work’s van and made good his escape, after ramming into neighbouring cars.

He was eventually tracked down by police who found him hiding behind some bins in a front garden. Pleading guilty to affray, Bentham was handed a suspended sentence.

Prosecuting, Brett Wilson said that on April 27 2020, the man was watching a film on his phone in bed when he heard someone outside shouting his name. He opened the door and saw two men, one of which was Bentham, who entered and began to attack him.

“He punched him to the head, it lasted a couple of minutes,” Mr Wilson said. “The defendant started to punch him again but this time the victim grappled with him and managed to get him on the floor.

“He got on top of him and punched him. During this the other man was shouting and pulled him off the defendant.”

The man grabbed his keys and ran to his neighbours, who were further down the road. He asked them to phone the police and as he went into the house, he was followed by Bentham.

He ‘charged’ at the victim and began to attack the couple. He punched the woman ‘five or six’ times, and as her husband went to help her, he began punching him.

The victim managed to wrestle him to the floor again, during which Bentham was threatening to kill him. The man asked him: “Why are you doing this?”

Bentham replied: “I don’t know but I’m going to blow your head off anyway. Let me up, I know where you live and I know where they live,” suggesting he was speaking about the couple.

He left and got into the van and began ‘ramming it’ into other cars over a couple of yards so he could make off. He was found following a short police pursuit.

In a statement, the victim said he felt his life was in danger and was planning to move out of the area due to fear of repercussions. The couple said they ‘didn’t expect to open the door and be assaulted' and are scared of what could happen in the future.

Bentham was said to have previous convictions for antisocial behaviour, violence and affray. The prosecutor added that it was a ‘targeted and sustained attack’.

Andrew Smith, defending, said his client lives with his mum and plays an active role in looking after his two children alongside his partner. He said the van he was driving was on loan from his employer, and as a result he has since lost that job.

He has since found a full time job, Mr Smith added.

Sentencing, Recorder Mr Recorder Cox said Bentham ‘appeared to recognise’ the harm of his actions, and said there was evidence of remorse.

“Clearly alcohol has played a role in your offending in the past,” he said. He added that due to the delay, the fact he had stayed out of trouble for the last two year, and that he had got a stable job, he was able to suspend the sentence.

Bentham, of Barry Crescent, Little Hulton, admitted affray and was handed 12 months imprisonment which was suspended for 18 months, 150 hours unpaid work and he must pay £500 in court costs.