Thug jailed for assault

A thug who launched a violent attack on a man outside a social club in Newcastle last year has been jailed.

Shortly before 10pm on Friday, November 29, police were alerted to a disturbance outside of Lemington Labour Club on Union Hall Road.

Emergency services were swiftly deployed to the scene, where they found a man – aged in his 40s – had been struck multiple times with a claw hammer in the doorway of the address, causing injuries to his head and body.

An investigation was immediately launched by detectives in the Force’s Criminal Investigation Department, with CCTV footage later showing Lewis McMahon carry out the attack after waiting in the doorway of the premises.

As his victim lay on the ground, McMahon went on to hit him five more times before someone kicked him away and he fled the area in a taxi.

McMahon, now 30, was arrested less than 24 hours later and charged with attempted murder and two counts of possessing an offensive weapon.

On Friday, December 24, he appeared before Newcastle Crown Court and pleaded guilty to a lesser offence of unlawful wounding with intent, and possession of a hammer and knuckleduster, and was remanded into custody.

On Friday, March 14, McMahon, of Hexham Road in Throckley, appeared before the same court where he was handed a five year and four-month prison sentence, as well as a four and a half year driving ban for a separate offence of driving while disqualified and having no insurance.

The victim, who did not support the prosecution, was left with a six-centimetre-long wound to his head which required treatment at hospital.

Speaking after the result, Detective Sergeant Marc Lennox, of Northumbria Police said: “This was a shocking incident which saw McMahon launch a violent attack on his unsuspecting victim, after waiting for him to arrive at the club.

“It is sheer luck that the man was not more seriously hurt, with McMahon clearly planning to cause him harm that night as part of an ongoing feud.

“As a Force, we completely recognise the impact that such behaviour can have on our communities and the alarm it causes – and we’ll do all we can to put violent offenders before the courts.

“Nobody wants this type of criminality on their doorstep, and I’m pleased to see McMahon is now behind bars for a lengthy spell and out of the way.

“I hope this case demonstrates our commitment to bringing thugs like McMahon to justice – with or without the support of any victims involved.”