Man head-butted and knocked to the floor at Royal British Legion Club in Healing after row over manners

A ROW over manners led to a 26-year-old being head-butted – damaging his front teeth – at the Royal British Legion Club in Healing.

Max Desforges was assaulted by David Morley after holding a door open for Morley's friend, businessman and Healing Manor owner Mark Brennan, and receiving no thanks for his efforts.

Grimsby Crown Court heard how Mr Desforges told Mr Brennan "a thank you would be nice" before Morley – who was following his friend – began shouting abuse and head-butted him.

Morley, 42, of The Avenue, Healing, was found guilty of grievous bodily harm by Grimsby magistrates in May and sentenced to 16 weeks in prison.

But he appealed both the conviction and the sentence, leading to the case being reheard at Crown Court.

Appearing as a witness, Mr Brennan told the court that he recalled Mr Desforges opening the door for him.

"I just barged on through and I suppose I should have said thank you," he said.

"I know it was rude now and on reflection I should have said thank you. I would have in any other circumstances.

"At the time I just wanted to get out to the car."

Austin Newman, prosecuting, told the court that Morley was "angry and aggressive" towards Mr Desforges and was "trying to get him to go outside and have a fight."

Mr Desforges told the court he was a member at the club and would often go there to drink with groups of friends.

He said that after he challenged Mr Brennan for not thanking him, Morley shouted abuse, calling him a "rent boy" and telling him to "go home to his mummy to get his nappy changed", before head-butting him and knocking him to the floor.

Mr Desforges suffered a grazed elbow, chipped a tooth and took a layer of enamel off another during the incident.

However, Morley told the court it was in fact Mr Desforges who had attempted to assault him.

"I just asked him what his problem was," said Morley, who works as a maintenance man for Mr Brennan and was involved in the renovation of Healing Manor.

"I lent down out of the way and he head-butted the top of my head."

Recorder Tahir Khan QC said Mr Desforges was a "convincing witness" and that Morley's version of events was "unsatisfactory".

Morley was found guilty at the retrial but the prison sentence was suspended and he was ordered to pay £1,000 compensation to Mr Desforges instead.

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