AN ANGRY young man spat into the face of a woman he was arguing with in the early hours of the morning outside a pub in Penrith town centre.

Billy James Dickenson, 21, who was recently prosecuted for his second drink driving offence, admitted an assault by beating. The defendant also admitted possessing a small amount of cocaine.

At Carlisle’s Rickergate court, the prosecution case included a reference to the victim formerly being the defendant’s girlfriend for two months, but Dickenson denied that they were ever in a relationship.

Prosecutor George Shelley outlined the offences. He quoted from the statement of a witness who recalled seeing the victim leaving a pub in Penrith at 3am on Sunday, November 26.

She saw her friend walking along Burrowgate towards the Pinney Pub and how Dickenson and the woman argued before he swore at her before “spitting in her face,” said Mr Shelley.

When police interviewed him, he gave no comment responses.

Chris Toms, defending, told the court: “He absolutely denies that he was ever in a relationship with the lady concerned.”

On the evening of the incident, the defendant, formerly of Eden Hall, Penrith, had been drinking and he recalled being angry and spitting.

“But he doesn’t remember spitting at her and when somebody shouted that the police were nearby, he ran off,” said Mr Toms.

The lawyer said the Dickenson had shown genuine remorse. Mr Toms added: “He said he was ashamed and did not want to see the CCTV if it exists.”

The defendant was currently unemployed but was due to start a job involving “groundworks” which he believed would earn him a weekly wage of £500.

District Judge John Temperley noted that the type of assault – by spitting – was “particularly unpleasant” and also that alcohol was involved. Judge Temperley accepted also that Dickenson had shown remorse and that there was a mental health background.

The District Judge said he would not treat the assault as domestic, given the defendant’s denial that he had been in a relationship with the victim.

He imposed an 18 month-community order which includes a 12 month mental health treatment requirement and a six-month drug rehabilitation requirement, as well as 20 days rehabilitation activity.

Dickenson must also pay £100 compensation to the victim, £85 costs, and a £114 victim surcharge. 

The sentence includes a resentencing for the earlier drink driving offence, replacing the one-year-community order that offence attracted. The offence was charged as an "assault by beating" because prosecutors regarded the act of spitting as constituting "physical contact."

It does not legally have to include the act of "beating," only physical contact.

Read more: Second time drink driver crashed into a fence in Penrith