Retford: Man ‘threw punches’ outside Londis

Daniel Smith, of Portland Road, Retford, pleaded guilty at Worksop Magistrates’ Court to using threatening behaviour with intent to cause fear.

The court heard that Smith had been drinking alcohol on 9th April 2014 when he went to a Londis store with a friend.

The man who he was with asked another male - who he did not know - for a lift and an argument broke out.

Smith, who was unaware why the argument had erupted, started to throw punches at the man, although the court heard that he did not connect.

In mitigation, Moira Macfarlane, said: “This offence was at night and was as a result of drink.”

“The defendant had misconstrued the situation as his friend was the aggressor.”

“He came into the argument at the wrong moment.”

“I think this explains his actions and it was caught on CCTV.”

“He is a young man and he is disgusted by what he has done.”

The court heard that Smith left school with some qualifications but has not had much of a working career.

He also has six previous convictions of which some were related to alcohol.

However, it was revealed that Smith has now secured a job working at a power station and had started to turn his life around.

Macfarlane added: “He will have to work on some weekends and that will curtail his drinking because it is not a job that you can go hungover.”

“This is a young man who deserves a chance.”

Smith was sentenced to eights weeks in custody, suspended for 12 months.

He was also given a curfew from 7pm-6am on Friday’s and Saturday’s which will last for three months.

And he was ordered to pay an £80 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.