A thug threw scalding hot coffee at a shop worker in a drunken rampage.
Alan Underwood left Diane McConnell in “excruciating pain” and with burns to her neck after the vicious assault in Prescot last year. Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday that the 40-year-old had been drinking heavily when he went into Dunnes newsagents on Shaw Lane on the evening of October 13.
Martine Snowdon, prosecuting, said Ms McConnell, who was working in the shop at the time, noticed he put down a £10 note and tried to get his attention so he wouldn’t forget it. She said he quickly became angry and abusive, accusing Ms McConnell of watching him and staring at him.
READ MORE: Suspects named after £6,000 Post Office burglars caught in Audi
Ms Snowdon said: “He picked up a cup of coffee and threw it at her. This is captured on CCTV. In her victim personal statement she makes clear its effect on her and how she does not feel like she can work in the shop anymore.”
Ms McConnell was left with burns to her neck and while she said in a later statement that these were largely healing she was still feeling the effects of the attack. Alaric Walmsley, defending, said Underwood was ashamed and said his actions that day were not premeditated but linked to his abuse of alcohol.
He said: “There is little that can be said for what happened from the defendant’s point of view, save this. From the video and from his account, the defendant had not planned to go out and commit an assault and perhaps that is supported up by the fact that he does not have any other convictions for assault.”
Mr Walmsley added that Underwood, who apologised for his behaviour during the hearing, has no memory of the incident. The judge, Garrett Byrne, told Underwood he had “no compelling mitigation” and jailed him.
Judge Byrne said: “For no good reason at all you were verbally abusive to her and threw a cup of coffee at her, causing her excruciating pain and causing burns along her neck.” Underwood, of Coronation Drive, Prescot, was jailed for 12 months.
