Warder hurt in revenge attack

AN off-duty female prison officer was attacked in a Chadderton pub by a man who believed she had almost wrecked his love life while he was in jail.

Bryan Farragher, from Hathershaw, was convinced that the officer had spitefully mailed letters meant for a woman friend to his partner at their home address.

When he spotted her drinking in The Colliers Arms in Old Lane with her boyfriend after he was released he confronted her.

The angry 33-year old gave her a shove, pushing her to the floor, then took a swipe at her partner.

Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court heard that the prison officer had fallen on to broken glass and suffered a serious injury to one of her fingers, most of which has since had to be surgically removed.

Mark Monaghan, prosecuting, said the little finger of her left hand had been left permanently crooked and scarred.

She had undergone surgery in the hope of straightening it but it had been unsuccessful.

The court was told that the woman’s partner had been uninjured during the incident on May 3 last year.

Farragher pleaded guilty to two charges of assault.

Sentencing him to 31 months in prison, Judge Bernard Lever told him: “This was an assault on a prison officer who had been in authority over you while you were in custody.

“What occurred is that you had the perception that this lady had interfered with your mail while you were serving a sentence, and that she had caused letters to a lady friend to be diverted to your partner, which no doubt would have caused a great deal of distress.”

He went on: “That would have been a vicious and spiteful thing, if it had been done.

“There has been no admission that it was done, but it was your perception.

“As a result of your actions she has had a great deal of pain and suffering, and lost most of her little finger.

“This was a public servant who had authority you while you were lawfully detained and you should not have got involved in a dispute with her in a public place when she was off-duty.

“Prison officers must have the knowledge that the courts will protect them against released offenders, while they are enjoying their leisure time.”