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Family feud led to attack in toilets
TOILET ATTACK ... Raymond Baker was angered after a slur about how he treated his ex-girlfriend.
A FURIOUS man launched a relentless attack on an ex-soldier in the toilets of a South Tyneside serviceman’s club.
A court heard Raymond Baker became angry when he heard “unacceptable assertions” had been made about him by his girlfriend’s mother’s partner, and phoned the 44-year-old veteran to have it out with him.
When he was told the man was at the Royal British Legion Club in Queen Street, South Shields, he went to confront him.
The 36-year-old followed his victim into the toilets, where, after a struggle, he launched into a barrage of punches and kicks.
Baker, of Bewick Street, South Shields, pleaded guilty to a charge of assault. Paul Donay, prosecuting, told South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court that the fight came after a long-running family feud.
He said: “Baker turned up at the club, and asked here the victim was.
“He was told he was in the toilets, and followed him in.
“He grabbed him, and told him what he thought of the rumours he had been spreading.
“The injured party then punched Baker, before he responded with a barrage of punches.
“The victim then fell to the floor and was kicked.
“Other family members then came into the toilets before the fight was broken up.”
John Roger, defending, said: “There is a long, acrimonious family history.
“My client and the injured party haven’t got along at all. There have been attempts to repair the relationship, but they haven’t worked.
“The injured party made an assertion about my client, which was unacceptable.
“It was the tipping point, and when he found out he was in the club, he went to confront him.
“He grabbed him by the collar and issued threats to him.
“He was then punched, before retaliating.”
Mr Roger told magistrates that Baker now regrets going to the club.
He added: “When he went to the club, realistically there was only ever going to be one outcome – a fight.
“He bitterly regrets it, and since then there has been no trouble.”
Chairman of the bench, Keith Ahmed, adjourned the case until Wednesday at 2pm for probation service reports to be prepared about Baker. He was released on bail until then.
Twitter: @ShieldsGazCrime
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Weather for Jarrow
Tuesday 22 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 8 C to 22 C
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