'Go head butt a tree' says judge as he jails Telford attacker

Repeat offender Benjamin Couch was sentenced to a total of 17 months after attacking victim Matt Ford, leaving him with a broken nose.

Couch, 31, who has anger management issues, was told by a judge to vent his anger on a tree rather than head butt people.

The father of two attacked victim Mr Ford, who was enjoying a night out in Madeley, Telford, on November 18 last year. It came months after he received a suspended sentence for attacking another man.

Prosecuting solicitor advocate Miss Sati Ruck told Shrewsbury Crown Court: “Mr Ford had been out with friends when he saw the defendant and a friend walking towards him near the Foresters Arms. As they approached Mr Ford stepped aside to let them pass.

“He said as the defendant passed by he made a remark.

“He then came face to face with the victim and head butted him on the nose. The defendant and his friend then walked away.

"The police were called and the victim’s friend followed the two men and saw them go into the Miner’s Arms and were able to point out the defendant to the officers who arrested him.

"Mr Ford suffered a broken nose and was referred to the fracture clinic. The defendant was arrested, but struggled with the officers and was throwing punches. He had to be restrained.

"During his interview he denied assault, but accepted he was in breach of a 12-month suspended sentence in relation to a matter of affray given on June 24, 2017.”

Nightclub

Couch was last year given a 12-month sentence, suspended for two years for pushing the manager of the Pussycats nightclub in Wellington resulting in that victim suffering a broken jaw and being knocked unconscious. Months afterwards he breached the order by assaulting Mr Ford.

Miss Debra White, defending, said that despite his previous convictions Couch, formerly of Telford, was attending rehabilitation courses and should be given credit for his efforts to improve his behaviour.

“He completed the alcohol treatment order two weeks ago and has carried out 35.5 days of the unpaid work requirement. He is employed and is a father of two.

However, Judge Anthony Lowe said he could only allow him one month’s credit and that he was concerned that the Crown Prosecution Service had charged him with common assault and not wounding, a more serious offence for his latest crime.

Couch, now of Jeffrey Avenue, Parkfields, Wolverhampton, had denied assault and was found guilty by a jury at a previous hearing, but admitted obstructing a police officer and the breach offences.

For common assault he was jailed for six months, for resisting arrest he was jailed for two months concurrently and for the breach he was jailed for 11 months consecutively.

Judge Lowe told him: “When you come out of prison find a better way of dealing with your anger issues. Go head butt a tree. Don’t take it out on other people.”

Couch, who previously lived in the Trench area of Telford, blamed alcohol for his bad behaviour and claimed he was finally trying to turn his life around by attending the alcohol treatment programme Resolve.

But it was too little too late after the court heard he committed the latest offence while on a suspended sentence for the 2016 attack.