Man assaulted karaoke singer at Coco's bar in St Helens

Scott Lyon punched the innocent vocalist in the face and then calmly put his pint down and walked out of Coco's bar on Westfield Street.

His victim, Terrance Daniels, fell off the stage with the unprovoked blow, which caught him unawares, and his injuries included a broken rib, an injured cheek and bruising as well as psychological harm.

Liverpool Crown Court heard on Friday (May 12) that when arrested seven months later 32-year-old Lyon said that he had been having a psychotic episode and feeling paranoid at the time.

Lyon 'took a swing' at singer

He said he took “a swing at him because I thought he was taking the mick out of me.”

He said he thought the victim was singing about working and was taking the mick because he was not working.

Chris Taylor, prosecuting, that the incident occurred at 6.45 pm on May 31 last year in the St Helens town centre venue.

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Mr Daniels was using the karaoke machine when he was punched to the right side of his face causing him to fall off the stage and hurt his shoulder when he landed.

“He felt he was knocked unconscious and does not recall the incident fully.”

He was taken home but later went to St Helens walk in centre and was directed to Whiston A & E and his jaw was x-rayed. It was not broken but a tooth had pierced the inside of his mouth and the cut needed glueing.

He later re-attended a few days later because he was in so much pain and a CT scan revealed he had a rib fracture and was prescribed pain killers.

Lyon was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court (Image: Stock)

In an impact statement Mr Daniels, who is retired, told how he had been badly shaken up and had suffered painful injuries. He said his face was swollen for seven weeks and his cheek has been left scarred.

He had to return again to hospital as his rib injury led to lung infection which could have turned into pneumonia. He also suffered nightmares, anxiety and panic attacks.

Judge Stuart Driver, KC, said that the consequences for the victim were bad and unfortunately it  happened because the defendant had not been taking his medication for his long term mental  health problem.

The court heard that he was hospitalised under the Mental Health Act between June and November and is now taking his medication.

Lyon, of Harris Gardens, Peasley Cross, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm.

'You misunderstood what he was singing about'

“You caused serious harm to a completely innocent man who was doing no damage to anybody when he was cheerfully singing on the karaoke,” said Judge Driver.

But he said that the defendant’s culpability was in the lowest category because his mental health disorder was linked to the commission of the offence.

“You misunderstood what he was singing about due to your long-term mental health condition…You have schizo-affective disorder and had not been taking your medication.”

He sentenced him to six months imprisonment suspended for 12 months and ordered him to carry out 25 days rehabilitation activities.