A BOYFRIEND laid in wait off the A43 in Northamptonshire to launch a revenge attack upon an elderly man who had sucked on his girlfriend's verruca, a court heard.
Industrial cleaner Matthew Marshall-Grant, aged 20, awoke at a party in Northampton in October 2005 to discover John Punch, who is in his 60s, had been sucking his girlfriend's foot.
Northampton Crown Court heard how he was so incensed at what he believed had been a sexual assault that he lay in wait as Mr Punch walked home to Silverstone and attacked him.
The violent attack left Mr Punch in hospital for 10 days needing treatment for multiple fractures to this jaw, eye socket, wrist and cheekbone.
Rebecca Crane, prosecuting, said: "Mr Punch had been playing around at the party and ended up sucking her foot. Some thought it disgusting while others thought it funny."
Marshall-Grant, who is thought to have carried out the attack with another person, hid in a ditch off the A43 and as Mr Punch walked past, he jumped out and beat him unconscious, stealing his two mobile phones.
Despite his injuries, the victim declined to makea statement to police after being discharged from hospital.
Passing sentence, Judge Richard Bray said he gave the defendant credit for his frankness with the police and the degree of provocation he felt he was under, but it remained a "very serious offence" in which the victim suffered substantial injuries.
But he added: "There must be a substantial custodial sentence. Whatever happened cannot excuse a revenge attack of this kind."
Marshall-Grant, formerly of Delapre but now of Grange Farm, Milton Keynes, pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent and theft.
He was sentenced to 30 months' youth detention.
Rosa Dean, defending, said: "He knows he's done wrong and expects to be punished.
"He found it very humiliating to find something had happened to his girlfriend when he had been unable to protect her and felt there was genuine provocation."
