Leamington man admitted assault on former friend but is cleared of intimidating witness and second attack

The sentence came just a day after Scott Mason had been cleared by a jury of witness intimidation and a further assault on the same victim, which he had denied.

Appearing at Warwick Crown Court on his 22nd birthday, Mason was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison suspended for 18 months for an offence of assault by beating, which he had admitted.

Mason, previously of Little Park, Southam, but now of Gresham Avenue, Leamington, was also ordered to do 140 hours of unpaid work and to take part in a rehabilitation activity having accepted he had a problem with alcohol and with resorting to violence.

Prosecutor Philip Brunt said that in June last year Jack Tibbitts had been out drinking with Mason and Mason’s girlfriend at a pub in Southam.

They went back to Mason’s new home in the town where Mason’s mood changed and he grabbed hold of his girlfriend, who broke free and ran upstairs.

Mason, who accepted he had taken some cocaine, chased after her and was heard saying: “I’ve told you so many f***ing times”.

Mr Tibbitts told him he should not speak to her like that – at which Mason took a swing at him, knocking him into the only piece of furniture in the room, a glass table.

It was said that as Mr Tibbitts tried to protect himself with his arms, Mason then kicked and punched him about nine times to the head and ribs, causing a bleeding nose and mouth.

Another person at the house called for an ambulance because Mr Tibbitts was complaining of chest pains, but because of the volatile scene, the paramedics stayed in their vehicle until the police arrived.

It had also been alleged that in September, Mason and Cameron Spriggs, 28, also of Little Park, had assaulted Mr Tibbitts and intimidated him to try to get him to withdraw his complaint about the attack.

But both were found not guilty of this.