Man who attacked stranger yards away from his South Yorkshire home walks away from court with community orderÂ

The incident took place on July 27, 2017, after the complainant heard '˜raised voices' coming from outside on the South Yorkshire street he lives on, Sheffield Crown Court was told. 

'The complainant went out to where the voices were coming from and saw three males shouting at his neighbour,' said Katie Rafter, prosecuting. 

Defendant, Jonathan Cockram, was one of the three males said to be shouting at the complainant's neighbour, the court heard. 

Ms Rafter added: 'He asked the males what was happening, and the defendant punched him in the head five to 10 times.'

 

 

She described how after Cockram, 30, punched the complainant, the pair ended up on the floor, and Cockram subsequently attempted to bite him. 

Cockram, of no fixed abode, then proceeded to pick up a wooden fence panel from a neighbour's fence and walked towards the complainant with it. 

The complainant managed to disarm Cockram, but he continued punching him instead. 

'The complainant was left with a 2cm cut above his left eye, which required four stitches. He had swelling and redness to the bridge of his nose and a lump to the back of his head,' said Ms Rafter. 

The defendant, who was said to be intoxicated at the time of the offence, was arrested at the scene. 

 

Cockram was initially charged with affray and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, but after he entered a guilty plea to the offence of affray, the Crown agreed not to proceed with the other charge. 

Defending, Robert Sandford, described Cockram as someone who had a '˜disadvantaged background' and was '˜in and out of care'.

'He has been out of trouble since this incident in the summer of 2017, and has had this hanging over his head,' said Mr Sandford. 

Judge Rachael Harrison sentenced Cockram to a two year community order, with a requirement to complete 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days. 

She said: 'Bearing in mind your previous convictions, bearing in mind it took the police 11 months to get round to charging you, and bearing in mind the fact you've been out of trouble for 18 months, I am going to step back from the imposition of an immediate custodial sentence.'