Alcoholic thug jailed for sickening attack on terrified 14-year-old autistic boy on Leeds public bus
An alcoholic launched a sickening attack on an 14-year-old autistic boy who boarded a public bus on his way home from school.
Martin Urban punched the boy so hard that he even left an imprint of his ring on his head, and slammed his head into a window as the terrified youngster tried to cower from the blows.
The 54-year-old was jailed at Leeds Crown Court after admitting a charge of actual bodily harm.
Prosecutor Zanesha Herbert said Urban was on the bus in Leeds when the victim boarded on the afternoon of March 20. The boy sat a few rows behind Urban. But the drunken thug then stood up and began accusing the boy of stealing his coat and phone.
He became more irate as the puzzled boy tried to tell him he had just finished school. But Urban then punched him to the jaw and grabbed him and slammed his head into the window. He continued to demand where his belongings were and punched him again to the mouth, drawing blood.
Other passengers intervened and tried to restrain him, with Urban shouting: “I’ll f****** kill you.” Urban, of Barton terrace, Beeston, was arrested and later interviewed. He admitted to officers that he had assaulted the boy, but maintained a group had previously attacked him and stolen his belongings. Urban has a lengthy criminal past, with 54 previous convictions for 136 offences.
Miss Herbert read out a victim impact statement from the boy, who has autism and ADHD. He is now reluctant to leave his home and is too scared to get on another bus.
Mitigating for Urban, James Holding said that he maintains he was attacked by a group of young males, but understands he targeted the wrong person. He said: “He is genuinely remorseful for his actions. The source of his problems are easy to identify - his drinking.”
He said that Urban lost both of his parents in quick succession and descended into alcoholism in 2015. He said since being held on remand he has been working with drug and alcohol counselling service.
Mr Holding added: “He is clearly struggling to address his addiction. He does not seek to minimise his actions and he is very sorry.”
Judge Simon Batiste told Urban: “You have an extremely long record. The circumstances [of what happened] are quite worrying. You were drunk because you are an alcoholic. You claim at some point you had been attacked by youths and your items stolen.
“In your stupor, you thought it was this boy who had done nothing at all.” He jailed Urban for 16 months.