Last updated at 08:51, Friday, 10 August 2012

A ‘GOOD citizen’ who tried to report an attempted burglary was savagely attacked with a crowbar, a court heard.

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Carl Bareham was hit as he telephoned police after seeing Wayne McCormack trying to break-in to a Barrow chemists.

Preston Crown Court was told McCormack was high on drugs when he attempted to raid Cowells pharmacy on Harrington Street, Barrow.

And he told the court he could remember nothing of the incident on July 19 that left Mr Bareham with a nasty head wound.

McCormack, 24, of Bath Street, Barrow had been committed by magistrates for sentencing at the higher court, having pleaded guilty to offences of attempted burglary, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and theft of a mobile phone.

The court heard that Mr Bareham lived above the chemists at the time of the attempted break-in.

Miss Rachel Woods, prosecuting, said in the early hours Mr Bareham heard loud banging noises below his address.

Similar noises were heard later and he decided to go down to investigate.

He saw a man stood at the chemists door. As Mr Bareham was moving away, he took out his mobile phone and called the police.

Miss Woods said: “He was just reporting that someone was trying to break into the chemists when he heard footsteps and saw the defendant running towards him, holding some sort of crowbar.

“The defendant said nothing at all, but hit him with the weapon, making contact with the left side of his head.

“A deep cut was sustained that needed stitches”.

The victim believes he may be left with a permanent scar.

Mr Bareham’s phone was dropped in the process and McCormack went back to pick it up. Phone records show that within 12 minutes the defendant was switching his SIM card into the stolen phone.

The prosecution said police were making local enquiries about another matter the next day when McCormack was overheard commenting about “battering a lad” the previous day.

“The officer put two and two together and arrested the defendant”, added Miss Woods. “He claimed he didn’t know what the officer was talking about, but the touch screen phone was recovered from his address”.

McCormack denied being responsible for the attack when interviewed by police. He spoke of having taken diazepam and cannabis.

He had previous convictions that included two for robbery.

Mr Richard Hunt, defending, said McCormack realised that an immediate jail term would follow.

“He doesn’t know what was going through his mind at the time because he doesn’t remember a thing about the incident.

“He has a very troubled background. He has been trying to eradicate troubling matters over the past nine or 10 years by using illegal drugs.

“He was feeling particularly down that night.

“He had taken 20 diazepam tablets and also the drug ‘bubble’. He doesn’t know why he was attacking the chemist’s or what he hoped to get from it.

“He now realises that unless he addresses his troubles, his demons, he is never going to be able to live a constructive life”.

Jailing McCormack for 22 months, Judge Ian Leeming QC, said Mr Bareham had acted as a “good citizen” in ringing the police on his mobile.

He told McCormack: “You went straight for him with the crowbar and struck him to the head. It caused a nasty gash”.

First published at 09:58, Thursday, 09 August 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk