Man jailed for attacking disabled pensioner Alan Barnes back in court for drink driving
A MAN who was jailed for attacking a disabled pensioner is back in court for drink driving.
Richard Gatiss was locked up for four years in 2015 after he assaulted 4ft 6ins tall Alan Barnes in Gateshead.
The incident shocked the nation and £330,000 was raised for the 71-year-old who was left with a broken collarbone after the attack.
Now Gatiss has appeared in court charged with driving with alcohol level above limit, driving without a licence and without insurance.
The 30-year-old today pleaded guilty to the allegations at North Tyneside Magistrates' Court.
"SILLY"
Mr Barnes - who is registered blind - today branded his attacker “silly” for ending up back in court after his prison release.
He said: “It's silly of him doing that. He's out now and he could have started his life over again. I did think he deserved a second chance. He's done two years in jail and two on a tag.
"I thought that would have changed him. I do forgive him for what he did to me though. What's the point in carrying that around for the rest of your life.
"I have forgiven him for what he's done to me. People don't seem bothered about being in jail. Unless he likes being in jail.
"Some of them go in and out all the time, I don't know whether they just can't cope with life on the outside."
I have forgiven him for what he's done to me. People don't seem bothered about being in jail. Unless he likes being in jail.
Alan Barnes
Ami Dodd, prosecuting, told the court the incident took place at around 9pm on June 21 when a witness, who was on a night out in Newcastle, saw a car crash into a barrier.
Ms Dodd added: "He saw the defendant driving a blue Renault Scenic, coming out of a car park and onto Morden Street. He said it was 'like a bat out of hell'."
The vehicle then crashed into a barrier and the driver and his passenger tried to reverse the car out and dislodge it from the barrier, the court heard.
Gatiss was also shouting at members of the public, telling them to "f*** off", Ms Dodd added.
In a statement to the court, the witness said: "They could have hit somebody. They did not show remorse."
DRINK DRIVING
The police arrived at the scene and Gatiss was later charged with drink driving. It was found he had 80mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath - the legal limit is 35mg.
The case was adjourned for pre-sentence reports to be prepared and the defendant was released on unconditional bail until the next hearing on August 13.
After the 2015 story went viral, local mum Katie Cutler set-up an online fund-raising page to raise some cash to help Alan get back on his feet.
But the collection, which initially aimed to make £500, was inundated with donations, with well-wishers from all over the world pledging more than £330,000 in just a few weeks.
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Alan, who weighs less than six stone, was born with a number of birth defects including sight and growth problems after his mother contracted German measles during pregnancy.
Gatiss, from Gateshead, pounced at around 6.30pm when Alan was moving his wheelie bin, outside his council house.
He knocked him over before rifling through his pockets for cash, then fleeing empty handed.
Alan used the money raised for him by the public to buy his first home.
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