CCTV footage at Wigan Wallgate captures the violent attack (Picture: Cavendish Press)
A bricklayer, who savagely beat a railway worker’s face after being challenged over a ticket, has been jailed for causing life-changing injuries.
CCTV showed Michael Lucas pummelling security contractor Colin Spicer at the Greater Manchester ticket barrier after learning staff would not replace the £70 weekly pass he lost that day.
The 32-year-old, who had been drinking heavily, yelled: ‘I’ll kill you. I’ll rip your f***ing head off.’ He then barged through the barriers and grabbed Mr Spicer by the throat, punching him so hard in the face the victim compared it to being struck with a baseball bat.
Mr Spicer, who is in his 50s and was working on a zero-hours contract for Carlisle Support Services at Wigan Wallgate station, suffered multiple facial fractures including a broken jaw plus fractures to his eye socket.
He was off work for four months after the February attack – with the RMT union raising £4,500 for him after learning he would receive little or no sick pay – and now speaks with a lisp. Nerves in his teeth and face are beyond repair and he struggles to eat properly.
Mr Spicer told police: ‘I am back at work now but I am hyper-aware that I must protect my face.
Michael Lucas (left) has been jailed for his attack on security contractor Colin Spicer (Pictures: Cavendish Press)
‘The slightest knock will cave my face back in and I have found myself moving away from large groups of people as I am worried I may get hit.’
Bolton crown court heard Lucas, a father-of-three from Westhoughton, first lost his temper with a female member of staff but apologised and left the station when police arrived.
However, he later returned and vented his anger on Mr Spicer.
Lucas fled the scene but dropped his phone and was later arrested. He admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm and the court heard he had 23 other offences on his record since 2008.
Jailing him for 28 months, Judge Tom Gilbart said the attack was entirely unprovoked and ‘appalling thuggery’.
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The judge said the attack was ‘entirely unprovoked and appalling thuggery’.