Vicious thug loses jail appeal

A thug who punched and stamped on a man wearing fancy dress has been told by top judges he can’t complain about being sent to jail.

Victim Harrison Fleming was on his way to a comic convention dressed as a character from the computer game “Assassin’s Creed”, when he was attacked by Dale Finnigan.

Finnigan, of Lees Road, Oldham, left Mr Fleming unconscious after a vicious and unprovoked attack in July 2014.

The 24 year old was jailed for six years at Manchester Crown Court in February after admitting robbery. Yesterday he challenged the sentence at the appeal court but was told it was justified, given the nature of the attack.

Mr Fleming was on his way to the convention at 6.30am when Finnigan came up to him on a bike and asked where he was going in his costume. Mr Fleming replied before trying to walk away, at which point Finnigan said “don’t ignore me, don’t walk away from me” and punched him several times. Finnigan threw him into a bus shelter and then to the ground, where witnesses saw him stamping on his victim’s head.

Finnigan started to leave but returned and kicked Mr Fleming again before steaking £140, a mobile phone, a games console, keys and bank cards. Mr Fleming was unconscious for a short time.

Finnigan’s barrister, Alison Heyworth, argued his jail term was far too tough. Dismissing his appeal, Mr Justice Flaux said the offence was a “vicious, unprovoked attack on a stranger”.