Buxton man punched victim to ground in '˜hate crime'

Philip Mansfield, 44, of Fairfield Road, punched David Manlove in the face on February 13 leaving him needing hospital treatment for a fracture between his eye socket and jaw. Mr Manlove described it as ‘the hardest punch I’ve ever had.’

Mansfield appeared at Chesterfield Magistrates’ Court on Monday where he pleaded guilty to GBH.

Becky Allsop, prosecuting, said: “The complainant and his partner are both vulnerable. He suffers from Schizophrenia and she has Aspergers.”

She said Mansfield has repeatedly targeted Mr Manlove and his partner Laura, asking them for money. On the day in question he went to their address and asked for money, telling them his mum had died a few days before and he needed money for her funeral. When Mr Manlove told him he didn’t have any he punched him in the face, knocking him out.

In mitigation, Ian Baker said that Mr Mansfield used to live with the couple and had some connection with Laura. When Mansfield went to prison she started a relationship with Mr Manlove. Mr Baker said: “He went to the address to ask Laura for some money. She was considering it when Mr Manlove said ‘we don’t have any’. He realised he overstepped the mark and left. It was one punch.”

Mansfield, who has previous conviction for violence was jailed in November 2014, will be sentenced at Derby Crown Court on March 7.