A WIRRAL woman has spoken of her anguish after the man who brutally assaulted her husband was given three years' detention.

Craig Wallace, 18, who is currently serving a term for taking a car without consent and has other previous convictions, was sentenced after assaulting Alan McMahon.

Wallace, of Livingstone Street, Birkenhead, had been found guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm by a Liverpool Crown Court jury earlier this month.

Judge John Morgan said that Wallace had beaten up Mr McMahon, 47, and left him lying in an alley, where a passerby thought he was just a bundle of rags.

Mr McMahon's wife, Eileen, heard the sound of the ambulance and was horrified to find that the victim lying in his own blood was her husband.

Nine months later his memory and thought processes are still impaired and it is highly unlikely that he will ever return to his previous condition or go back to work, said Judge Morgan.

"This was a severe beating you gave him," he added.

Mrs McMahon told Globe: "It was the grin on his face as he walked out of the dock that upset me. He will probably be out in 18 months and that will not be fair."

During the trial the court heard that Mr McMahon was found unconscious in Birkenhead town centre at 3.10am on Saturday, September 4.

Nicholas Gilchrist, prosecuting, said that on the previous night Mr McMahon, pictured here six days after he was attacked, was drinking at his local, Christie's Bar in Cleveland Street. He was a bit drunk and was seen by a barmaid to put his arms around Wallace in the bar. She heard Wallace tell Mr McMahon to get off, but he allegedly continued and Wallace told him he would 'knock him out in a minute'.

Not long afterwards Mr McMahon left followed, a little later, by Wallace.

The defendant had claimed that he had gone into the entry to urinate. Turning around, he saw Mr McMahon behind him. He claimed he thought Mr McMahon was going to assault him sexually and so punched him once and then ran home.

Mr McMahon had extensive head injuries, cuts and bruises, including a large bruise to his throat, and bruising to his legs.

Mrs McMahon rubbished claims that her husband of 29 years was trying to assault Wallace. The family are convinced that someone else was also involved in the attack.

Mr McMahon's daughter, Melanie, said: "My Dad was drowning his sorrows because it was his mum's birthday and it was exactly six months since her death. My Dad can be a pain when he is drunk but never violent and especially not someone who sexual harasses another person. Wallace may only have hit my Dad a couple of times, but who else was there to do the rest of the damage?

"My Dad looked like the Elephant Man. He had hypothermia, a fractured cheekbone and a blood clot in his brain which has caused permanent brain damage. He was in Arrowe Park for five weeks and Clatterbridge rehabilitation/neurological ward for three months after the attack.

"He is a changed man. He has had a complete personality change. He never goes out, gets up at 11am, watches TV and goes back to bed at 10pm. He does not even remember what he watches. We forced him to go to the beach for a couple of hours for a walk. When he got back he was violently sick. He used to be proud of his mini-garden but this year he has little interest. He looks skinny and more like 60 than 47," added Melanie.

In court Wallace's barrister Eric Lamb said Wallace had not intended the consequences and is contrite.

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