A MAN who seriously assaulted another man as he attempted to intervene in an altercation has been jailed.
James Cooney, 40, attacked the victim with a hammer and a trowel as he tried to diffuse a situation involving Cooney and another man.
Cooney, of Lunt Avenue, Bootle, Merseyside, was jailed for three-and-a-half years at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday.
He had previously pleaded guilty to Section 18 GBH with intent and two counts of possessing an offensive weapon.
Serious head injury
At around 8pm on Friday, July 26 this year, the victim, a man in his 50s, attempted to intervene when he saw an altercation between two men in Oakmere Close, Bottle.
One of the men, later identified as Cooney, attacked the victim with a hammer and a trowel, before fleeing the scene.
The victim attended hospital for treatment to a serious head injury and is continuing to recover.
‘Dangerous man’
“This was an appalling incident which could have so easily resulted in catastrophic injuries to a man who was attempting to diffuse a volatile situation,” said Detective Constable Immy Mahmood.
“However, the psychological impact of such an assault cannot be underestimated, and we hope that the outcome provides him with some sense of justice having been served.
“Cooney is clearly a dangerous man capable of causing serious harm, and he will now face significant time in jail to reflect upon his disgraceful actions in July.”