Sentencing of Barnet attack men delayed by disputed report (From Times Series)

Sentencing of Barnet attack men delayed by disputed report

4:20pm Monday 21st December 2009 in Top Stories By Alex Hayes

THE sentencing of two men who admitted savagely beating a man with learning difficulties after breaking down the door of his Barnet flat had to be adjourned today.

Liam Sizer, 26, and Richard Spall, 23, both from Barnet, pleaded guilty earlier this month to attacking supermarket worker Jason Barrack in his flat in Lynch Road on July 11 last year.

Both men were due to be sentenced today for the attack, which prosecutor Andrew Dowden said left Mr Barrack, 37, with “bruising to the left side of the face and lacerations which needed to be cleaned and superglued”.

However, Sizer's barrister, Mark Stevens, told Wood Green Crown Court his client had concerns with the fairness of the probation report about him, which recommended a prison sentence.

He said: “Mr Sizer expressed some concerns with the contents of the report, especially about his relationship with his partner. There have been no problems between the two of them.

“He did not get on as well with the probation officer as Mr Sizer hoped.”

He added his client had turned his life around since the attack and had recently become a father and attained an apprenticeship.

A representative of the probation service said the interviewing officer had found a “lack of empathy” for his victim and concerns were raised over the “level of nonchalance about the offence”.

However, Judge Fraser Morrison ordered a new report be made , and said: “This does not have the appearance of a balanced report.

“Without making any promises Without making any promises about what the outcome will be I do not think the report is what I would have expected.”

He added: “You are still in jeopardy.”

The pair were released on bail and are due to be sentenced on January 18.