Businessman who left man unconscious jailed three years

James McVeigh was “sickened” and “revolted” by his own actions when he was later shown the shocking incident captured on CCTV his counsel, Richard Vardon, told Leeds Crown Court yesterday.

He was normally a hard-working family man who ran a very successful poultry wholesale business and deeply regretted “losing it” that night.

McVeigh, 44 of Hodgson Lane, Birkenshaw, Bradford, admitted attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to Wayne Cooper in June last year.

Jailing him Judge Sally Cahill QC said the complainant went out for what he no doubt hoped would be a pleasant evening on June 3.

He did not remember what had happened between him and McVeigh when he went outside the Commercial public house in Morley for a taxi, the next thing he knew was waking up in hospital.

But the judge said she was able to view on CCTV what occurred. He said: “The two of you appear to be having a perfectly reasonable conversation, there didn’t appear to be any aggression on either side.

“Whether anything was said that could have caused offence I don’t know, even if there was, your response was not one that was acceptable.

“You first of all headbutted the complainant. You pushed him to the ground, once on the ground you knelt over him and punched him several times.”

The judge said at that stage it appeared Mr Cooper’s arm was moving slightly so it would seem he was then still conscious.

“You then got up, kicked him, stamped on his head, moved away and you then went back again and kicked him again. Certainly by the end of the incident he was unconscious.”

She said that was serious and unpleasant violence in front of others in a public place.

She accepted it was an isolated incident and he had since sought help for his problems but there had to be an immediate jail term.

Robert Galley, prosecuting, said Mr Cooper had stitches in various cuts and was treated in hospital. He had suffered anxiety about going out since.

When arrested McVeigh said he had reacted to the complainant calling his wife a slag.

Mr Vardon said McVeigh had been under considerable stress at the time. He and his wife had been separated for some months and the offence happened on their first night out back together.