Man who attacked poorly pensioner fined just £35

John Hall, 73, next month, had been diagnosed with cancer on the morning of the assault in Chorley.

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His attacker, a 60-year-old man from Chorley, received the fine when he appeared before Chorley Magistrates’ Court where he pleaded guilty to the offence.

Mr Hall claimed the incident goes right back to an altercation with his attacker in a Chorley pub more than 30 years ago.

Mr Hall, of Longworth Street, Chorley, believes his attacker should have received a stiffer sentence for this latest incident.

He contacted the Guardian to express his anger, saying: “I didn’t know he’d been to court. I didn’t know anything about it. I never knew he’d been done just £35. I’m raging I didn’t get to go to court.”

The attack happened at Chorley bus station.

“On the morning of this incident I was told I had cancer,” said Mr Hall.

“I went to my daughter’s in Horwich because she’d just got over cancer.

“It was 10.15pm, I got the bus from Horwich.”

Former roofer Mr Hall said when he got to Chorley bus station the man was there.

He said: “There were verbals and I walked away to get my bus. I missed my bus and thought I’d get a taxi.”

Mr Hall said the attack happened as he was phoning for a lift home.

“He just lamped out at me and smashed the glasses form my face and started laying into me,” he said. “It was a constant beating he gave me.”

The police were called and Mr Hall was taken to hospital where he received treatment for injuries to his face.

“The police phoned for an ambulance for me. One of the policemen said, come on I’ll run you to hospital,” said Mr Hall.

“With the A&E not being open at Chorley Hospital he had to run me through to Preston. Blood was everywhere in the police car. It would stop because I’m on warfarin.

“I was in a corridor in the hospital for five hours and couldn’t stop in bleeding.”

Mr Hall was picked up by one of his sons after his treatment and taken home.

Ireland-born Mr Hall, a former amateur boxer, said: “I’m a retired roofer. I fell off a roof and broke my leg and did my back in at the same time.”

He went on: “It was the first time I’d seen him for 30-odd years.

“That morning I was in Chorley Hospital when they told me I had cancer - it’s bit of a shock to your system. Cancer hadn’t entered my head.”