Mersey kicker Benjamin Bridgeman back in court for thefts from shops

Benjamin Bridgeman was locked up for the horror incident in which the innocent 74-year-old could have drowned following the unprovoked attack.

But the now-22-year-old has reoffended again, appearing before Warrington Magistrates’ Court to be sentenced after admitting three charges of theft from a shop

Katie Johnson, prosecuting, told the court that on September 18, the defendant carried out three separate thefts.

One was at Poppin Go Bubble Tea in Golden Square Shopping Centre, where he stole a card reader and a tablet computer.

It was said that a value of the goods had not been provided, and that the two items had not been recovered.

Bridgeman also stole a Bluetooth speaker valued at £40 from Mobile Fix, located at Market Gate in the town centre, but this was recovered.

The spree continued when he entered Tech Repair Outlet on Sankey Street, where he pinched a mobile phone worth £55. Again, this was recovered.

Ms Johnson revealed that Bridgeman has 10 previous convictions for 23 offences – including assault by fly-kicking a pensioner into the Mersey, for which he was jailed for 10 weeks in June 2021.

He callously kicked the 74-year-old man into the river while he was fishing in an unprovoked assault and ran away laughing.

The incident caused widespread uproar in Warrington and further afield, as the victim could have easily been overcome by the fast-flowing river had it not been for the actions of two passing 14-year-old schoolgirls who formed a human chain in order to rescue him.

The elderly gentleman, who walked home to his family soaking wet and shivering, reported the assault to the police.

Benjamin Bridgeman outside court on a previous occasion

Bridgeman was jailed again for a week four months later for failing to comply with the requirements of his post-custodial supervision order by not attending sessions with the Probation Service.

He was set back to custody in June 2022 for 26 weeks after being convicted of three counts of assaulting a woman, as well as stalking her involving a fear of violence, criminal damage and again failing to comply with the requirements of his post-sentence supervision order.

For the theft matters, Peter Green, defending, asked for full credit for his client’s guilty pleas and said: “The offences have deep roots in the fact that Mr Bridgeman is homeless.

“On the day of the offences, he did not have any money and wanted to eat. He took the items to get something to eat. He did not know what to do.

“What a very sad state of affairs.”

However, the court heard that he told the author of his pre-sentence report that he stole the items ‘for a laugh’, and that he found it ‘quite funny’.

“What is clear is that the defendant is struggling to live independently. He was evicted from his previous accommodation and is struggling generally with life,” Mr Green continued.

“The defendant needs some help to help him live independently, get accommodation and sort his finances out. It is clear that parental support is limited.”

He continued: “Speaking to the defendant, he is quite intelligent, with basic skills to work with. If he can work to develop them, he could have a promising future.

“But it is up to him, and how he deals with the situation at the moment.”

Magistrates sentenced Bridgeman, who gave his address in court as Patten Arms Hotel, on Parker Street near the town centre, to an 18-month community order.

During this period, he must also complete 40 hours of unpaid work and five rehabilitation activity requirement days, and undertake the Building Better Choices programme.