Supervision on assault charge

Press, 27 July 1989, Page 18

Supervision on assault charge

A man who had spent two-thirds of the maximum sentence for assault in custody while on remand, was placed on supervision for a year by Mr Justice Tipping in the High Court yesterday. Lloyd Robert Moutter, aged 26, a sickness beneficary, had been found guilty by a jury on a charge of assaulting Stephen Worthings. He was acquitted on the more serious charge of injuring Mr Worthings with intent to commit grievous bodily harm.

Evidence was given at Moutter’s trial that he had gone to a house to see his estranged wife but she was not living there any more as she had gone to a women’s refuge centre. There had been a discussion with Mr Worthings about Moutter’s wife being unfaithful and then Moutter attacking Mr Worthings. It was alleged by the Crown that Moutter had poured lighter fluid over. Mr Worthings’ T-shirt and set it alight. For Moutter, Mr Craig Ruane said that his client had been in custody on remand from January 31 to July 3 and the maximum term for common

assault was one year.

Moutter had an obsession with his child and marriage. The assault took place after Mr Worthings admitted sleeping with Moutter’s wife. For many years Moutter had had a problem with drink.

After Mr Worthing’s admission Moutter became angry and started behaving in an irrational manner. Moutter had a long list of convictions but only three were for violence.

Supervision would be an appropriate sentence because of the length of time Moutter had spent in custody, Mr Ruane said.

Mr Mark Zarifeh, for the Crown, said that the offence occurred when Moutter was on early release from jail after a conviction involving violence on his wife.

Mr Justice Tipping said that in recent years Moutter had accumulated an unfortunate list of convictions for violence. He had kicked and punched his victim.

"In my view you should remain in the community and it is in your own interests that you don’t appear again,” said Mr Justice Tipping.