A man from Harrogate man has been jailed for a violent assault which left his elderly victim in hospital with a punctured lung.
James George Withrow who is aged 27, and of Bower Street in Harrogate, was sentenced at York Crown Court on Monday 20 January 2014 to eight years’ imprisonment for the attack.
He was found guilty of grievous bodily harm and attempted robbery during a week-long trial in December 2013.
In the early hours of 27 October 2012, Withrow approached his victim, a 68-year-old local man, from behind on Regent Terrace, grabbed his arm and demanded his bank card and PIN. He then pushed him to the ground and repeatedly kicked him puncturing his lung, breaking his nose and inflicting a cut to the back of his head.
The victim, who was 66 at the time of the incident, was treated at Harrogate District Hospital for his injuries.
Detective Constable Claire Brown, of Harrogate CID, who investigated the case, said: Withrow was found guilty of a cowardly and vicious attack on an elderly man who was unable to defend himself.
It is pleasing that the court has imposed a sentence which reflects the seriousness of Withrow’s actions and the eight years in jail he is facing is the least he deserves.
The victim sustained some very serious injuries in what was an extremely frightening experience for him and I hope that Withrow’s sentence allows him some comfort in the knowledge that justice has been done.
