Drunken “vigilante” jailed for night-time assaults

Saturday 28 September 2019

A drunken “vigilante”, who threw a pint glass at the feet of two pub managers and punched a taxi driver in his pursuit of a man he thought had sexually assaulted a woman, has been jailed for six months.

Russell Barton (47) appeared in the Royal Court where he was handed the jail-term for the assaults, as well as a community service and probation order, which will come into effect upon his release, for breaching previously imposed court orders.

Appearing for the prosecution, Crown Advocate Emma Hollywood told Court that the offences – two counts of grave and criminal assault and one of common assault – took place on the evening of 19 April this year when Barton was “acting strangely” outside the Post Horn pub.

Pictured: The grave and criminal assaults took place at the Post Horn pub.

Barton’s behaviour attracted the attention of two members of bar staff and the Crown Advocate recounted how he’d told them “in an aggressive manner” that he was “chasing a guy who is trying to rape a girl".

Concerned for his welfare, the two men tried to calm Barton down and one of them went to get him a glass of water.

However, when Barton had the glass he took a few sips of water and then threw it towards the men who were trying to help him. 

One of the men recalled in their statement that, once he’d been given the glass, Barton “took a couple of steps back… and pulled his right hand about his right shoulder with the glass in it. I knew straight away that he was going to throw it at me".

In this moment, the man described himself as feeling “defenceless".

The Court was told that the only injury caused by this incident was some minor cuts to one of the men’s fingers. 

Pictured: Barton threw a glass at two men who work at the pub.

After throwing the glass, Barton fled in the direction of Charing Cross, where he began to accost people in their cars and eventually getting into a “scuffle” with a taxi driver whom he punched in the face, but did not injure. 

Shortly after this, Barton was arrested by Police.

The Crown Advocate explained to the Court that Barton had been interviewed the next day where he told officers: “If someone’s trying to help me, I just can’t see why I’d chuck a glass at them.” 

He added: “I’m actually gutted here again. It’s my fault. I just can’t believe I threw a glass at some guy who was trying to help me. It doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t make sense at all.”

It was explained that the offending put Barton in breach of a community service and probation order imposed by the Magistrate’s Court in February of this year.

Crown Advocate Hollywood invited the Court to impose a sentence of 21 months’ imprisonment for the assaults and the court order breaches.

Defending Barton, Advocate Heidi Heath explained to the court that “at the heart of this case is the issue of alcohol.”

Pictured: The case was heard in the Royal Court.

She said that it was her client’s “vigilante behaviour” that triggered his offending, as he’d heard that there was a “lady at risk of or had sustained a serious sexual assault” and he “took it upon himself to find the guilty person".

Advocate Heath emphasised to the court that his responses to the situation he found himself in were expressions of "frustration” rather than anger, and that he didn’t intend to cause any of the men any injury.

Describing his concerns that a woman had been sexually assaulted as a “trigger” for Barton, Advocate Heath explained that someone close to him had experienced such an assault which led her to take her own life.

The defence lawyer argued that a community service and probation order would be the best way to give Barton “the opportunity to make good [and] change his ways”. 

In a letter addressed to the Court, Barton expressed a wish to “step up”, saying “I don’t want or need any more drama in my life, it’s time to break the cycle".

The Bailiff Sir William Bailhache presided over the hearing and the case was heard by Jurats Crill and Christensen. 

Handing down the Court’s “unusual” approach to sentencing in this instance, the Bailiff informed Barton that he will be sentenced to six months’ jail time, but upon his release he will have to complete the orders previously imposed by the Magistrate’s Court – with an extra penalty for the breach. Barton was also excluded from licensed premises for two years.

This way, the members of the Court hoped that they could “mark the grave and criminal assault” as the same time as “providing [Barton] a basis for helping [him]self with help from probation".

The Bailiff warned: “Honestly, this really looks like your last chance.” 

Before leaving the Court, the 47-year-old said to the Bailiff: “Thank you, sir, I didn’t expect that." To this, Sir William replied: “Take advantage of that.”