Son broke father’s jaw while ‘manhandling’ him following drunken row

Mark Meredith pulled his father from a couch while he was asleep, causing him to hit his head and back on a brick wall.

The 35-year-old then refused to hand himself in to police after the incident was reported, but he was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court, appearing via video link from HM Prison Altcourse.

The court heard that the defendant was initially charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, but the prosecution later accepted a guilty plea to a lesser charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The facts of the case were outlined by Katy Appleton, representing the prosecution, who explained how on Sunday, October 15, 2023, the defendant was with his then-girlfriend, his father and his son.

They spent the day in each other’s company, visiting a bowling alley, and the plan was to stay over at his partner’s Warrington home.

Meredith had had a ‘couple’ of pints of and some rum, and was watching YouTube and listening to music, but events soured as October 15 turned to October 16.

The drunk defendant began to be abusive to his then-girlfriend, calling her names and attempting to headbutt her, the court heard.

He also accused his own father of ‘trying it on’ with her, with the court hearing how Meredith ‘gets into trouble a lot and is aggressive’ when drunk.

He was told to go outside and calm down, which he did, and the victim, ashamed of the defendant’s behaviour, checked on his son’s girlfriend, who said she was ‘ok but shaken’.

The complainant fell asleep on the couch and was woken by the sound of the door opening.

He was the grabbed by the defendant, fell and hit his head on a wall, resulting in pain to his face and back, with both demonstrating swelling and his face bleeding.

He stumbled from the address and sought assistance from a passer-by. He was taken to Aintree Hospital where he was diagnosed with a fractured jaw.

Mark Meredith was jailed at Liverpool Crown Court

Police tried to speak to Meredith over the phone, and he told officers he would not hand himself in and would ‘stay off the grid’ until he could pay for a present for his child.

On January 15, he was arrested at HM Prison Forest Bank in Salford, and he told officers during his interview that he had a ‘strange’ relationship with his father.

He also admitted that he had ‘manhandled’ his father and tried to throw him through the door, but that he fell and hit his head on a brick wall.

Ms Appleton told the court that Meredith has 50 previous convictions for 95 offences such as dishonesty, criminal damage, affray, driving offences, robbery, violent disorder, battery, possessing drugs and possession of a knife.

His last conviction was in November for driving while disqualified and for failing to provide a specimen for analysis.

In mitigation, Sarah Haque, defending, spoke of how her client has a job offer for a bingo fitting business and a place to stay through a relative.

She also referenced ‘significant trauma’ in Meredith’s fractured personal life and upbringing, and how his offending has led to the breakdown of his relationship with his father and his now-former partner.

Before sentencing, judge David Potter said: “You have pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm. You were initially charged with a much more serious offence.

“Your father asked you to leave to calm down. That did not quell your temper. Your father had fallen asleep and had no indication of what was to come.

“His injury was a serious and nasty one. The offence is made more serious as it was committed in a domestic context, and you have previous convictions for a whole range of offences.

“There are signs of genuine remorse, but you are still somewhat self-centred, trying to blame others for the positions you find yourself in when in drink.

“This offence is so serious that only a custodial sentence is appropriate.”

Meredith, of Rochdale Road in Middleton, was sentenced to two years immediate imprisonment and made the subject of restraining orders.