UK- Neighbourly act led to attack on innocent man

2-16-2009 United Kingdom:

WHEN Edward Johnson got a letter saying he was in the clear over a sex allegation, it should have been good news.

Mr Johnson struggles to read or write and so asked his neighbour to do him a good turn and read it out to him.

But his so-called friend, next-door neighbour Paul Armstrong, misinterpreted the letter as meaning Mr Johnson was a sex offender and gave him a severe beating.

Not content with fracturing his cheekbone and nose, vigilante Armstrong and his girlfriend, Linzi Minchell, returned one week later and attacked him again for reporting the initial attack to the police.

Mr Johnson, who was not prosecuted for any offence, was left in hospital for two weeks with a fractured vertebra in his back.

Jailing Armstrong, Recorder Tom Bayliss said: “He has difficulty reading and writing and was asking for your help.

“He did nothing to provoke what you did other than to show you that letter.

“After the second attack he was in so much pain he could hardly move. The two of you were like a pack of animals. You are his neighbours and he counted on you as friends.”

The court heard that Armstrong, 22, of St Cuthbert’s Avenue, South Shields, had gone to visit Mr Johnson on June 13 last year.

Mr Johnson had a letter from his solicitor, which he couldn’t read, and asked his neighbour to read it to him. There had been an unfounded allegation of a sexual nature against Mr Johnson and the letter told him it was not being proceeded with.

There was never any prosecution against him.

But Armstrong became angry and started questioning his neighbour about the allegation before inviting him round to his house later in the day.

Robert Spragg, prosecuting at Newcastle Crown Court, said: “When he went round Armstrong pinned him to the wall and punched him twice in the face and repeatedly called him a nonce.

“He picked him up, put him on his shoulder and threw him into the garden. He then picked him up again and threw him over his own garden fence.”

Mr Johnson went to hospital, where it was discovered he had a fractured cheek and nose.

Just six days later, he was asleep on his sofa in the early hours when he heard Armstrong shouting for him to open the door.

Both Armstrong and Minchell came in and accused Mr Johnson of avoiding them and of reporting the initial attack to the police.

He denied it but Armstrong found a police reference number and lost his temper again.

Minchell punched him three times in the face, bursting his eyelid. Mr Spragg said: “He was kicked and punched in the ribs by Armstrong who then sat on him.

“Armstrong said ‘You better get out of your house or you will get the same again and maybe worse’.”

Mr Johnson was later found by his ex-partner unable to move with a fractured vertebra.

Armstrong and Minchell, 19, also of St Cuthbert’s Avenue, South Shields, both admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Armstrong was jailed for 18 months and Minchell was given a community order and told to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work. ..News Source.. by Rob Kennedy, Evening Chronicle