Man who launched attack on van driver sentenced

A man who leaned into a van and punched the "defenceless" driver several times after a row at a builders' merchant has been sentenced.

Maxwell Dawson, 34, attacked the man on the morning of 18 July after they had both travelled to the Isle of Man Business Park, in Braddan, to pick up building materials.

Douglas Courthouse heard there was "bad blood" between the two men and Maxwell had said "stop calling me a thief" before raining punches on the victim, which left him with injuries to his eyes, nose and mouth.

Handing him an 18 month sentence suspended for two years, Deemster Graeme Cook said it was a "completely unprovoked attack".

Dawson, of Crosby, was arrested later that day, and went on to plead guilty to causing grievous bodily harm.

The court heard he admitted throwing 10 punches at the man, with three connecting with the victim's face, and the rest missing or hitting his arms.

In a statement read to the court, the victim said he had had to take time off work due to both the injuries and anxiety he faced about returning to the same site.

He had been left "emotionally drained", had become "more anxious of people in general" and experienced panic attacks, the court was told.

The deemster said the victim had been "defenceless" as he had been sitting in the driving seat of a van at the time of the attack.

Dawson was also handed a restraining order banning him from him from contacting the victim.

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