A thug accused an innocent commuter of being a paedophile before battering him and biting his ear in a train station.
The care assistant was on his way to work early in the morning when Jack Ricketts began hurling abuse at him then subjected him to a "brutal" unprovoked assault. He feared he was going to lose his ear when his attacker sunk his teeth into it.
Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday, Monday, that the man was walking to Birkenhead Central Station shortly before 7.30am on October 23 last year when the drunken defendant began shouting at him. Ben Jones, prosecuting, described how Ricketts called him a "paedophile" and began ranting about his sister.
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The 21-year-old, of St Anne's Grove in Birkenhead, followed him into the station and "forcefully punched him from behind" to the left side of his face. He then aimed six more punches at him, tried to headbutt him and began biting his ear.
Ricketts continued to shout "he's a paedophile, he assaulted my sister" as he dished out the violence, which was caught on CCTV. The victim told the court: "It is the crown's case that the victim in this case was wholly innocent of any such accusation and this was a random assault."
The complainant was left "visibly injured and blooded" and taken to Arrowe Park Hospital. Ricketts was also taken to the same hospital after suffering injuries of his own, where the carer identified him as the man who had attacked him.
He claimed to have been targeted in a group assault earlier in the morning and "went looking for revenge", believing the victim to be involved. In a statement read out on his behalf, he described how he feared he would lose his ear and "was worried he had a knife and was going to be stabbed".
The victim also had to take time off work without sick pay. He added: "I can't understand why anyone would do this to me.
"He is a large, intimidating male and he really could have done some damage. No person should have to worry about walking to work and I feel he deserves punishment for this."
Ricketts has 10 previous convictions for 20 offences, including being jailed for 12 weeks for battery in March this year. Brendan Carville, defending, said: "He is under no illusions.
"He has brought his kit with him. He knows this is a serious matter."
Ricketts admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent and was jailed for two years, as well as being told to pay a victim surcharge. Sentencing, District Judge Jack McGarva said: "This is a horrible case.
"He was an entirely innocent man, and he had no idea what was about to happen to him. He thought he might have lost his ear.
"It was a prolonged and persistent attack with the motivation of revenge, as it happens a misplaced motivation. This was brutal."
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