Thug punched, kicked and stamped on motorist during Castleford petrol station spat

Joseph Foster opened his car door into the victim’s car at the Esso garage on Castleford’s Willowbridge Lane, before demanding he move his vehicle.

When the victim said he would move his car “in a second”, Foster lost his temper and walked up to the man and punched him several times to the face and body, prosecutor Benjamin Bell told Leeds Crown Court.

With the stricken man left lying on the floor, Foster kicked him to the head, then stamped on his arms and legs.

Workers from the garage came out to assist the victim, who suffered multiple fractures to his little finger, and bruising and swelling around his eyes.

The incident happened on December 11, 2021, but it was not until a month later that police caught up with Foster. He was arrested but refused to answer questions during his interview. He later admitted causing ABH on the victim.

The court heard that Foster, of Johns Avenue, Lofthouse, has 16 previous convictions and was jailed in November 2021 for robbery, for which he received a sentence of seven years and three months. He is still in custody and not eligible for parole until September next year.

Mitigating on his behalf, Ayman Khokhar said that Foster was still only 20 and was 18 at the time of the petrol station assault.

He said: “It’s an unpleasant offence but he is still a very young man. This was his first offence for violence and it was committed before the robbery. His family is supportive and he wishes to work as a gardener on his release.”

Judge Neil Clark told Foster: “You were clearly out of control and thought you could order people to do what you wanted.

"This happened a long time ago. There’s no explanation why it has taken three years to come to court.”

Explaining that the matter should have been dealt with when he was sentenced for the robbery, it meant Foster would receive a reduced jail term to adhere to the “principal of totality”, set out under the sentencing guidelines.

He handed Foster 20 weeks’ jail, but told him it would have to be served consecutively to his existing robbery sentence.