A £60million label manufacturing boss walked free from jail for a brutal attack because "his workers would lose their jobs" if he was sent down.
Dad Peter Scanlon, 52, attacked his victim, who used to be his friend, from behind and repeatedly stamped on him while he lay helpless on the pavement, leaving him with a fractured elbow.
Scanlon, described as a "gentle and loving" dad and step-dad-of-three, kicked the man in the head and walked off, leaving his victim unconscious in an assault described by a judge as "eight seconds of complete madness".
The victim has suffered long-lasting effects from the attack that happened at 11.30pm in Middlesbrough's town centre on October 23 last year.
The two men used to be friends but text messages revealed that they had fallen out, although the court did not hear about the exact nature of their disagreement, Teesside Live reports.
Prosecutor Jenny Haigh told a court that on the night of the attack, Scanlon left a pub on Linthorpe Road and was "clearly following" the other man.
She said that the company director had been drinking and was captured on CCTV running up behind the victim outside The Chairman Pub on Bedford Street.
Ms Haigh said that police, who were on foot patrol in the area, helped the victim who was taken to hospital.
Scanlon runs Middlesbrough-based label manufacturing business Scanman which has a £61m turnover.
It supplied social distancing floor markers to the NHS during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Harriet Williams, defending, said that Scanman, "grew exceptionally over the Covid pandemic".
"It provided 90% of the labels for PCR tests to the NHS- the labels matched up to people," she added.
"No one else is able to run this company as it is. Employees would lose their jobs."
Ms Williams went on to add that Scanlon's partner, his children and his elderly dad - who he looks after - would be financially impacted if he was sent to prison. She said that the businessman was full of remorse and had written a letter to the court.
Scanlon's letter referred to the "disgraceful attack" he carried out and said he hopes his former friend suffers no lasting trauma. He also gave the judge "his word" that he would never "act in this way again".
The court heard that Scanlon financially supports three sons who are at university and that he "can afford to pay compensation to his victim".
Scanlon, of Marton Avenue, Marton, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm at Teesside Magistrates' Court last month.
The victim sat in the public gallery at the Teesside Crown Court sentencing, listening as his statement was read out to the court.
He said he worked as a self-employed plasterer but had been "unable to work full duties" since his elbow had been broken in the attack.
"This is difficult because I am a single homeowner with a mortgage," the statement added.
The man said he hasn't been able to perform everyday functions such as brushing his teeth, or getting out of the bath and has also had to give up squash and badminton.
He added that he can only hold two of his three dogs ' leads, as "the strain on my arm is too much".
Dressed in a navy suit and tie, Scanlon looked tense at Judge Paul Reid who told him: "It's very sad to see a man of almost 53 years, with no previous convictions, stand in the dock for an offence like this. You are a man who others speak highly of.
"You are described as gentle, loving and patient by your ex-partner who you have children with. You run a very successful business with 41 employees. You attacked this man from behind, flattening him to the ground.
"You stamped on him four times and kicked his head. You've come very close to going to prison for that eight seconds of complete madness."
The judge handed Scanlon a 10-month prison term, suspended for two years. He was ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £2,000 in compensation to his former friend, in addition to £340 court costs.
Scanlon was made the subject of a restraining order prohibiting him from contacting or approaching his victim.
Judge Reid added: "The victim can bring proceedings against you in the county court for loss of income - that's a matter entirely for him."
