Darlington thug attacked neighbour following petty dispute

Ian McKenna attacked his neighbour after he had been burning rubbish on his property and sent his partner a message saying he was single, Teesside Crown Court heard.

The 26-year-old punched the man in the face during the fracas before being forced out of his victim’s Darlington home.

Tabitha Buck, prosecuting, said McKenna then proceeded to through two bricks through the window of the victim’s home.

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She said the victim received a phone call from McKenna, who was using his girlfriend’s mobile, before the defendant started shouting ‘what are you doing messaging my girlfriend telling her you are single’.

“There was some animosity building up at that point,” she said. “The man heard someone coming into his house; he turned around and saw the defendant running up the stairs with a black cosh in his hands.

“He felt a blow to his face and could taste blood in his mouth – this was from a punch rather than the cosh.

“A scuffle ensued and he managed to push the defendant out of the door and held the closed with his body.”

Miss Buck said the defendant then threw two bricks through the complainant’s window.

McKenna, of Hargreave Terrace, Darlington, pleaded guilty to affray, criminal damage and possession of an offensive weapon following the disturbance on January 22, 2021.

Richard Herrmann, mitigating, said the father-of-two accepted that his behaviour crossed the custody threshold but urged the judge to follow the recommendations in the pre-sentence report.

He added: “He given some information and acted in an extraordinarily stupid way.”

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Recorder Aisha Wadoodi branded McKenna’s behaviour ‘appalling’ as she spared him immediate custody and imposed an 18-month community order.

She added: “I don’t know what caused the animosity but there was some problem. The way that you behaved is the issue.

“You went round with a baton and punched him in the face. Your behaviour was appalling.”

McKenna was also ordered to attend 40 rehabilitation activity requirement days and take part in a Thinking Skills course.