Co Armagh man previously jailed for sectarian attack on father-of-four in Portadown has sentence deferred for a year by appeal court
A Co Armagh man, convicted of a sectarian attack on a father-of-four in Portadown, has had his sentence deferred by the Appeal Court.
Paul Mark Rodney Hobson, aged 49, of Fitzgerald Park, Portadown had been accused of assaulting Martin McWilliams outside a tanning salon and criminal damage to his car on June 23, 2024.
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He was convicted of both crimes at Craigavon Magistrates Court in August last year and sentenced to five months in jail for each offence, both to run concurrently. A suspended sentence was also activated adding another two months to his sentence.
Hobson appealed the sentence at Craigavon Criminal Appeals Court with the appeal heard on Thursday by Her Honour Judge Donna McColgan KC.
A previous court heard that on Sunday, June 23, 2024, at 12.20pm, police attended a report of fight outside a Mahon Road tanning salon. The victim, Martin McWilliams, said two drunk men were sitting on a bench outside as he entered.
“They queried why he was wearing a green GAA top in that area stating ‘You can’t be wearing that f**king t-shirt around here,” said the prosecutor during the initial hearing at Craigavon Magistrates Court.
"The injured party said he was called a Fenian. He said he was aggressively cornered and chased by the two males when he came out of the salon and was put in fear of being assaulted and he punched them both in order to protect himself,” she said.
"The men would not let the injured party get into his vehicle and were holding the door open. Once the injured party got the door closed they kicked and punched his car, causing damage to the vehicle,” the prosecutor added.
Hobson’s barrister, Mr Damien Halleron, admitted his client has a criminal record and is in breach of a suspended sentence.
He said Hobson is a businessman. “I, like Mr Lunny, can’t get around the fact that he maintains his innocence in this case and, respectfully, doesn’t accept Your Worship’s decision.”
District Judge Ranaghan said he understood the wish to appeal. “That is your right. But in my view on that day you picked on the wrong man. He fought back. You got the worst of it - both of you.”
The district judge said the defendant had a relevant record for violence and he was in breach of a suspended sentence. He was given a five months jail term on each to run concurrently. The suspended sentence was activated, adding another two months onto the jail term with immediate custody.
As a result of the appeal in the common assault conviction, the court issued a Restraining Order to protect his victim from potential harassment. It stated the court is of the opinion that it was ‘necessary for the purpose of protecting the victim of the offence from further conduct which amounts to harassment, or cause a fear of violence’ and the order will last for one year as of January 21.
Hobson was also convicted at Craigavon Magistrates Court of the criminal damage offence and ordered to pay the victim £2,150.00 compensation.
Sentencing for both offences was deferred by Judge McColgan until January 10, 2027.