A Blue Badge holder assaulted a delivery driver who had parked in a disabled bay.
Graeme Rawcliffe, 38, of Thompson Green, Cuddington, Cheshire, admitted offences of assault by beating and disorderly behaviour when he appeared at Chester Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, 23rd December 2025.
Assault by beating, an offence contrary to section 39 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, has a maximum sentence of 26 weeks' custody on summary conviction.
Magistrates heard that the fracas took place at the McDonald's restaurant on Road Six, Winsford, on Saturday, 22nd November 2025.
The driver had parked in the disabled bay and Rawcliffe, who was clearly aggrieved, approached and shouted "get out of the fucking disabled bay" along with other profanity.
The 38-year-old then grabbed the complainant by the neck, which resulted in a scratch to his skin.
Hannah Kelly, mitigating, told the court that her client, who suffered a severely debilitating stroke a few years ago, now accepted that he had overreacted to the situation.
Ms Kelly told the court that her client, a man of previously good character, had been a successful haulage business owner, but had lost both career and home as a result of his medical difficulties.
Magistrates were of the view that Rawcliffe's offences were serious enough to merit a community order, but elected to impose a fine as an alternative.
He was fined £200 and ordered to pay £80 surcharge, £85 costs and £50 compensation.
Addressing the defendant, the Presiding Justice said: "This was a grossly disproportionate reaction - sitting for three more minutes wouldn’t have changed your life too much but it has changed your victim's."
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