Young man broke retired boxer's eye socket in Castleford street fight

Billy Gibson had been with a friend on Royds Avenue in Castleford on February 17, 2021, when the 49-year-old man walked past with his dog.

Gibson and the man glanced at one other and exchanged words about why they were “eyeballing” the other, prosecutor Robert Galley told Leeds Crown Court.

Gibson then asked the man: “What are you going to do about it?”

The man tied his dog to the lamppost and squared up to the younger man, who then punched him to the face. Gibson then punched him a second time which knocked the man off his feet.

The elder man was left with a fractured cheek bone and swelling to his eye and face. In a victim impact statement, he said he was left anxious about leaving his home.

Gibson, of Ambler Street, Castleford, gave a no-comment interview after his arrest. He admitted an charge of GBH without intent but only after a trial date was set. He has one previous conviction from when he was a youth.

Now 23-years-old, the court was told by a probation officer that Gibson had not been drinking or had taken any drugs that day. It was also heard that he had a steady job and had stayed out of trouble.

Mitigating on his behalf, Tom Jackson said: “He is under no illusion that this may cross the custody threshold, but he could be managed in the community.

"The first punch might have been self defence, but he accepts the second punch went too far. He is remorseful and there is a lack of maturity.”

The judge, Recorder Anesh Pema gave him 18 weeks’ jail, but suspended it for 12 months. He said: “Your second punch did go beyond self defence and knocked him down. You were much younger and much stronger, and it caused some unpleasant injuries. There’s no doubt it had a significant impact upon him.”

He ordered Gibson to also carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, and told him to pay £100 compensation to the victim.