Company boss jailed for beating man unconscious in pub toilet

Geoffrey Sipson given 13 months for assault in Bedworth pub



The boss of a commercial vehicle dealership has been jailed after beating another man unconscious in the toilets of a Bedworth pub before kicking him in the head while he lay on the floor.

Geoffrey Sipson, 58, of The Navigation, Bulkington, had pleaded guilty to assaulting his victim Darren Gilbey causing him actual bodily harm.

After hearing that Sipson had kicked Mr Gilbey twice to the head as he lay unconscious on the floor, a judge at Warwick Crown Court jailed him for 13 months.
What the prosecution said

Prosecutor Ian Windridge said the incident took place on Sunday, July 9, in the toilets of the Prince of Wales in Bulkington Road, Bedworth, where Mr Gilbey had been drinking since about 4pm.

There had been a disagreement between the two men in the past and a comment was made when Sipson came into the pub at about 7.30pm that evening.

Later both men went to the toilets, and Mr Windridge said: “It’s suggested Mr Gilbey went first and Mr Sipson followed but, either way, they both ended up there at the same time.”

Hearing a disturbance, the landlady went in and saw Mr Gilbey on the floor, with Sipson holding him and punching him.

She went to get help and returned with one of the regulars, Sipson was still hitting Mr Gilbey, knocking him unconscious.

Sipson then kicked him twice to the head before the attack came to an end, leaving him with cuts to his eye, bruising to his face, a broken crown and bleeding from his mouth.

“It’s but for the grace of God that Mr Gilbey didn’t suffer much more serious injury,” commented Mr Windridge.

Jailing Sipson, Judge Andrew Lockhart QC told him: “In the loo, the magistrates found, you believed you were about to be headbutted, and you started the violence. It started in self-defence, but it soon went to something much more serious.

“You quickly put this man to the ground. His hands were in front of his face, and you rained in several punches.

“This was a sustained assault whereby at some stage he was rendered unconscious, and at a time when he was unconscious on the ground, you continued to punch him and kick him.

“I am satisfied you intended to cause more serious harm than you actually did, you used your foot twice while he was on the ground unconscious.”

Only thirteen months?? I always thought that the law was/is an ass.