Street brawler armed himself with bottle of ammonia during Wakefield scrap
A man who was beckoned into the street to fight a drunken thug who was hurling abuse, armed himself with a bottle of ammonia.
Robert Gregg grabbed the noxious liquid when the man stood outside shouting at him, so went out to confront him.
The fight happened on the evening of December 15, 2022, on Doncaster Road, Knottingley.
Reports were made to the police that the two men were throwing punches, Leeds Crown Court heard.
But at some point Gregg stumbled over a low wall and the other man was reported to have kicked him repeatedly and stamped on his head.
Gregg was found by paramedics. He had suffered a fractured eye socket.
The bottle of ammonia was also found which was forensically linked to Gregg.
The 47-year-old, of Grasmere Road, Knottingley, admitted a charge of affray. He appeared in court via video link from HMP Lincoln.
The court was told that Gregg has 28 convictions for 46 offences, including violence and also drug dealing, for which he received a 42-month jail sentence.
Mitigating, Christopher Morton said: “There was a verbal confrontation and he accepts he decided to confront the man rather than contact the police.
“He did arm himself with a bottle from the kitchen which he intended to use to defend himself.
“He was not the instigator of this incident.”
Judge Ray Singh said that Gregg’s violent convictions showed that he was “somebody who is prepared to use violence”.
He gave him a six-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, ordered him to enrol on an accredited anger management programme and complete 20 rehabilitation days.
Meanwhile, the second man involved in the fight is due to stand trial next year.