Man who carried out pole attack told he should be "disgusted"

36-year-old David Mitchell was sentenced to 29 months at Douglas Courthouse yesterday after previously pleading guilty to counts of GBH, affray and possessing an offensive weapon. 

 

He attacked Alex Messenger as he left a house party they'd both been attending in Clagh Vane in the early hours of May 18th 2014 - punching him and striking him with the pole. 

 

Mr Messenger suffered a major head trauma and was flown to a UK hospital where he spent time in a critical condition on life support - he's been left with speech problems as a result. 

 

In the aftermath of the incident Mitchell brandished the pole at another man who followed him when he left the scene - he then disposed of it, went home and washed his clothes. 

 

The court heard Mitchell had taken both legal and illegal drugs on the night and was heavily intoxicated - a psychological report confirmed he also suffers from a personality disorder. 

 

His advocate told the court he "deeply regrets" what happened and is now a "changed man" - sentencing him Deemster Montgomerie told him he "should be disgusted" by his behaviour saying "putting it bluntly your victim could have died". 

 

As Mitchell has been remanded since the incident the sentence is now "time served" meaning he's been released from prison although he remains on licence for a further two years - a further charge of causing GBH with intent was withdrawn.