A PENSIONER required stitches to his face after being beaten on the head with his own walking stick by a cyclist.
Stephen Pierre, 43, appeared at Guildford Crown Court on Friday (November 9) where he received an eight-month suspended jail sentence for the attack in July.
The court heard Pierre, who lived in Esher at the time of the offence, assaulted Thomas Doran, 79, by riding up to him, snatching his walking stick and beating him about the head with it. The attack happened just yards from Mr Doran's home in Ewell on the morning of Sunday July 29.
Mr Doran was left with a gash above his right eye that required five stitches and later said he was too afraid to leave his home after the attack.
It emerged in court how Pierre apparently carried out the attack after learning that Mr Doran had been made the subject of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) on January 6.
The court heard Pierre, who ran his own cleaning business and has since moved to Normandy, Middlesbrough, had a history of assault and theft convictions.
Pierre admitted the assault against Mr Doran at an earlier court hearing on October 10.
Recorder Ian Bourne said: "I'm sentencing you for what you have admitted and that is the assault using a stick on a vulnerable elderly person.
"Although it is not entirely clear how you and Mr Doran know each other, you have worked in the area for many years running your business and Mr Doran, it is accepted by the prosecution, has a history which resulted in the imposition of a SOPO on January 6 2012. "
Recorder Bourne sentenced Pierre to eight months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months. He was ordered to pay £500 costs and £250 compensation to Mr Doran.
