It's Not The Wild West Magistrate Tells Man Who Committed Assault In The Street

TEENAGER Zacharias Lupson narrowly escaped a jail sentence this week, after magistrates heard how he attacked a man in the street. Instead, Lupson was ordered to pay �500 compensation to his victim Andrew Guy, carry out 240 hours of unpaid work, and pay �

TEENAGER Zacharias Lupson narrowly escaped a jail sentence this week, after magistrates heard how he attacked a man in the street.

Instead, Lupson was ordered to pay �500 compensation to his victim Andrew Guy, carry out 240 hours of unpaid work, and pay �60 costs.

"This was a very nasty assault, it is not like a Wild West brawl out there," said presiding magistrate at Ely courthouse, Hamish Ross. "You were very close to going into custody today."

Lupson, of Berry Close, Stretham, had previously admitting causing actual bodily harm during the incident in Soham on March 7.

Before the assault, Lupson had been head-butted by his victim, said prosecutor Laura Mardell.

Lupson retaliated by punching Mr Guy in the face, leaving him suffering from a black eye, a swollen and bruised face and a painful nose.

Mitigating, solicitor Guy Holland said the head-butt on his client had "come out of no where, and Lupson had two teeth knocked through his lip.

"My client punched his victim three or four times in the face, there was no premeditation, he was responding to provocation," he added.

But magistrate Mr Ross said to Lupson: "Looking at the photos of the injuries, your retaliation was not proportionate.