Violent thug jailed after stamping on man's head in Preston's Moor Park pub
A Preston thug who smashed his way into a stranger’s house at the dead of night has been jailed by a judge.
The city's Crown Court heard that in another violent outburst Michael Silcock attacked a man in a pub.
The 36-year-old admitted burglary, assault causing actual bodily harm, possessing an offensive weapon and assaulting a police officer.
He was sent to prison for a total of two years and four months when he appeared before Recorder Fiona Clancy for sentencing.
The court heard Silcock, of Ripon Street, Preston, had appeared outside the house of a man he didn’t know at 2.30am and made offensive accusations towards him.
He then smashed the window in the front door and forced his way in. At the time he had a Stanley knife and a file.
Silcock threatened the man saying he would “smash his face in”. Police were called and he was arrested, although not before he had put up a real struggle.
He pushed the officers away as they tried to restrain him. He then spat at them and kicked out, connecting with a policewoman’s shin.
In the other incident he had been drinking in the Moor Park pub in Garstang Road when another man began chatting to the barmaid. He approached the man and assaulted him.
When interviewed by police he gave “no comment” answers to all questions.
Barrister Andrew Parkinson, defending Silcock, said his client was remorseful and disgusted with his own actions.
Mr Parkinson urged the judge to keep the prison sentence as short as possible.
Recorder Clancy said the late-night attack on the house must have been “an absolutely terrifying ordeal” for the couple inside when he smashed his way in armed with a knife.
He had been disrespectful to the police who arrived to arrest him by struggling with them, spitting at them and kicking one on the shin.
She said the burglary had been more serious because Silcock had threatened violence towards the people in the house. He had been under the influence of alcohol and the offence had been committed late at night.
Although he had a history of mental health issues she said he was not suffering from any at the time of the attacks and they could not excuse his behaviour on the two occasions.