His girlfriend admitted assaulting the victim’s heavily pregnant partner too, a court heard
James Moore and Rachael Murray pictured outside Hull Crown Court(Image: Hull Live)
A drunken troublemaker who viciously attacked another man in a pub will have to wear an alcohol monitoring tag – but he was warned that even his “aunt’s sherry trifle” will trigger it. The victim of the nasty “repeated” beating was left with serious fractures to his face, Hull Crown Court heard.
James Moore, 40, of County Road South, Hull, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm on the man on August 25 last year. Rachael Murray, 37, of Stapleford Close, east Hull, admitted assaulting the man’s heavily pregnant girlfriend.
Emma Handley, prosecuting, said that the man and his girlfriend had been attending a three-year-old niece’s birthday party at a pub in Falkland Road, east Hull. Murray approached the man and suddenly asked him “if he had a problem with her”.
He reassured her that he did not have a problem with her but her boyfriend, Moore, joined in. The man again told them that he did not have a problem with Murray and, after that, he and the woman went to sit down.
Murray followed the woman back to their seats and leaned in towards her. Murray, because of her drunken state, spilled some of her drink on the woman, prompting her to say “Thank you” sarcastically to Murray.
The woman got up but Murray pushed her back down, shoving her hand on the woman’s neck. She continued pushing the man’s girlfriend and pinned her to the seat.
Moore repeatedly punched the man to his head. The victim tried to cover his face but he suffered serious injuries. “Other members of the public were trying to intervene to stop the assault,” said Miss Handley.
Another man pulled Murray off the woman, who was seven months pregnant. She and Moore were escorted out of the pub. “The police were called,” said Miss Handley.
The victim suffered a fractured eye socket, a fractured upper jaw bone and a fractured cheek bone after the “repeated assault”. He needed metal plates and screws.
He later said: “I was viciously assaulted by a man I didn’t know.” He had been left suffering nerve damage to his face.
Moore had convictions for 18 previous offences between 2006 and November 2023, mainly drug offences. He had been jailed for 55 weeks in 2023 for affray, theft and possessing drugs.
Murray had convictions for five previous offences between 2010 and 2012. They included a public order offence in 2010.
Judge Richard Woolfall told Moore and Murray: “If you can’t drink and behave responsibly, then you shouldn’t be drinking.” He rejected Murray’s claim that she was only “tipsy” and said that she must have been drunk.
“Both of you behaved appallingly,” said Judge Woolfall. “There were children in that pub because it was a family event.”
Moore was given a one-year suspended prison sentence, 200 hours’ unpaid work, a 120-day tagged alcohol abstinence monitoring order and 10 days’ rehabilitation. He was ordered to pay £1,400 compensation to the man.
Judge Woolfall said that the alcohol monitoring tag was extremely “sensitive” and it would detect even small amounts of alcohol in Moore. “If you were to have your aunt’s sherry trifle, that would trigger it,” said Judge Woolfall.
Murray was ordered to do 50 hours’ unpaid work. She had “pinned down” a pregnant woman during the trouble at the pub.
Hannah Turner, mitigating, said that there had been no further issues and Moore had reflected on his behaviour. “There is an element of remorse for his actions on that day,” said Miss Turner.
“He accepts that alcohol was at play during his offending.” Father-of-three Moore was unemployed after losing his job at a caravan company last year but he had the prospect of work in construction.
Julia Baggs, representing Murray, said that the defendant had only limited previous convictions. “She is deeply apologetic about her actions,” said Miss Baggs.
“She is disgusted by her behaviour. The remorse is clear. It’s merciful that there was no physical injury caused during that incident involving her. She has got a very good work record.” There were references for her.
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