A sunbather who indecently exposed himself in a park was left seriously injured in what a judge called ‘a case of vigilantism’.
The attack on Mateusz Zbroszczyk, 33, was described in court as ‘a prolonged and persistent assault’.
A judge said he was kicked, punched and ‘stamped upon repeatedly’ as he lay on the ground.
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A man who admitted playing a leading role in the attack has now been jailed after he pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Mark Foran was jailed for 27 months on Tuesday.
Zbroszczyk was convicted in his absence in July of indecent exposure and jailed for 26 weeks.
As Foran was led away at Liverpool Crown Court after sentencing, angry supporters of his in the public gallery hurled abuse at the prosecution team.
The court was told that after hearing a little girl was among those who had seen Zbroszczyk expose himself, three men rushed to the scene and attacked him.
Zbroszczyk suffered face and head fractures and a lung injury.
The court heard shoe marks were found within his bruising by doctors treating his wounds.
Jailing Foran for 27 months, judge Recorder Paul Taylor said: “It is a case of vigilantism.”
(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Andrew Ford, prosecuting, said on Wednesday April 15, last year – a fine sunny day just after the coronavirus lockdown began – Zbroszczyk went to a park where the East Lancashire Road crosses the M57 between Knowsley and Croxteth and was sunbathing.
He told how he left on his bicycle but a ‘Range Rover type’ vehicle passed him and blocked him in by a barrier.
Hostile men, he said, were shouting and screaming – and he had no escape route.
The court heard two or three men ran towards him and he remembered one who was large with ginger hair and a ginger beard, who he said ‘led the attack’.
Mr Ford said: “On the ground the victim felt kicks to his tummy, face and ribs and sustained a puncture wound to his left shin.
“He remembered losing consciousness and waking up in an ambulance where he was treated and taken to Fazakerley Hospital.”
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The prosecutor said a witness on the motorway said she saw ‘three males attacking a lone guy who was on the ground’.
Mr Ford said: “She said they were all kicking him, though one in particular she describes as directing all his blows towards the man’s head. She rang the police.”
Officers arrived and found Zbroszczyk conscious but shaken with his bike lying in a ditch.
Mr Ford said someone had noted down registration plate details of the 4×4 and it was seen shortly afterwards being driven by Foran.
The court heard the officer stopped the vehicle and spoke to the driver, with Foran, of Midhurst Road, West Derby, telling him: “Yes I hit him.”
He said the man had exposed himself in front of a young girl, Mr Ford added.
“I’m here to face up to what I have done,” the court heard he said.
(Image: Getty Images)
In a victim impact statement, Zbroszczyk said he was a keen sportsman and a good footballer, but was no longer able to run or play football.
Jason Smith, defending Foran, said Foran received a call saying someone was performing a sex act in front of children.
Mr Smith added: “Yes he was hot-headed but perhaps it was understandable.”
It had not been a pre-planned attack but once there ‘hot blood’ got to him, Mr Smith added.
He said the other two men had not been requested by Foran and word had got out as people had been talking about Zbroszczyk’s behaviour.
Mr Smith said: “He is ashamed of how he dealt with the situation…sheer stupidity and sheer anger overtook him that afternoon.”
Judge Recorder Taylor said: “It has to be noted that he [Foran] is a large and very powerful man. It is submitted this falls short of a significant degree of planning or pre-meditation.
“I disagree. This was a premeditated decision to beat up the victim. It is a case of vigilantism.
“The defendant does accept playing a leading role in this assault by three men on one, where the victim was on the ground when stamped upon repeatedly.
“It was a prolonged and persistent assault.”
The court heard the other two men involved in the incident have not been traced.
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