Frodsham man who was assaulted ‘led down’ by sentence of attacker

Jan 13 2011 Chester Chronicle

Frodsham man who was assaulted ‘led down’ by sentence of attacker

AN ASSAULT victim whose jaw and eye socket were fractured by an amateur boxer is flabbergasted the culprit has been ‘let off’ with a police caution.

Electrician Marc Stoneley, 29, from Frodsham, says Christmas was ruined after he had to undergo an operation on Boxing Day to have a titanium plate inserted into his cheekbone.

Marc, who was subjected to an unprovoked assault by a drunken teenager in Matthew Street, Liverpool, says Merseyside Police told him his 17-year-old attacker was given a caution because he was remorseful and it was his first offence.

Marc, who considers his injuries amounted to grievous bodily harm, is complaining to the Independent Police Complaints Authority.

He said: “I appreciate what the police did for me that evening, Constable Ainsworth who dealt with me and took me to hospital.

“But I feel let down by what I have had to go through and suffer because of this individual and to find out he’s just been released under police caution.

“They say it’s serious and he’s got to behave, but for me that’s not good enough. Just because he’s got no previous, he can’t go around causing this kind of damage and get off with a police caution.”

Marc, who is still suffering from headaches and blurred vision following the operation, says the punch came out of the blue.

Adding insult to injury is the fact that his attacker lives in nearby Runcorn – where he has boxed for a local boxing club – and he has seen him out in Frodsham.

A Merseyside Police spokesman confirmed the offender was given a formal caution in accordance with Home Office guidelines as he was remorseful had no previous convictions and based on the injuries the victim appeared to have at the time which indicated a common assault had been committed.

However, he invited Marc to contact police with medical evidence of his injuries to see if the matter should be reinvestigated.