Warmington man jailed for tent pole attack at McDonald's in Haddon Services near Peterborough

A 29-year-old has been jailed for attacking a man with a metal tent pole in a row over a face mask.

Conor Murphy of Stamford Lane, Warmington was queuing for food at the McDonald’s in Haddon Services near Peterborough on June 29, 2021 when he questioned a woman on why she wasn’t wearing a mask.

Her and three other people, including the victim, got their food and went to sit down but on the way out, Murphy again asked why she wasn’t wearing a mask.

At the time government guidance stated that people should wear face masks in indoor spaces unless they had a medical exemption.

The victim was annoyed because his friend had a heart bypass and was therefore exempt so told Murphy to leave.

Murphy, 29, went back to his car and took a metal tent pole from behind the driver’s seat.

He returned to the restaurant where the four were sitting and hit the victim on the right side of his head with the tent pole.

The victim’s partner intervened and Murphy hit her on the wrist with the tent pole.

Onlookers tried to restrain Murphy but he left and drove away in his car.

He was arrested a few days later after handing himself in at Thorpe Wood Police Station.

On Wednesday (March 8), at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court sitting as a crown court, Murphy was jailed for two years and eight months having pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm, grievous bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon.

DC Andrea Farnes said: “This was a disgusting and pointless assault on someone who was just going about their daily business.

“Murphy knew what he was doing was incredibly dangerous and he can now reflect on his stupid actions in prison.”