A man has been sentenced to two years and eight months in prison for unprovoked attacks on three men in two separate incidents.
Joshua Greenwood (27) of Shaftesbury Drive was sentenced at Minshull Street Crown Court yesterday, after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to two offences of causing grievous bodily harm and one offence of causing actual bodily harm.
One of the victims was an 80-year-old dad who had been out in Rochdale enjoying drinks with his son in February 2022, before the pair were set upon in an unprovoked attack.
At around 10pm, the pair were walking along Packer Street, when two men walked past them.
Greenwood began to punch the older man’s in the face and head, causing him to fall to the ground and hit his head on street furniture. The two men then attacked his son when he attempted to help his father, also punching him to the ground.
A text message received by Greenwood just a few hours before he attacked the pair indicated surprise that he was out again as he had recently stated he “always ended up in town wanting to punch someone’s head off”.
In the days after the assault, Joshua Greenwood was arrested and interviewed in relation to the offences. The other man involved in the second assault earlier pleaded guilty and received a fine.
In November 2021, Greenwood also brutally attacked a man who had been out with friends in Rochdale.
The victim was taken to North Manchester General Hospital and suffered serious injuries, including multiple fractures of the eye-socket, cheekbone and jaw, and required corrective surgery from which he is still to make a full recovery.
Serious injuries
Detective constable Russell Clarke said: “Greenwood is unlikely to realise the magnitude of the impact he has had on the victims in this case. He is a man of significant size and on two occasions, he used his physique to inflict serious injuries on people unlucky enough to find themselves within his reach.
“He punched them as hard as he could to the face, completely unprovoked, with absolutely no consideration for the consequences of his actions – consequences which for these victims included life-changing physical, emotional and psychological harm.
“Greenwood behaved this way towards a man in his eighties who was simply out enjoying an evening with his son. Having fractured the eye-socket, cheekbone and jaw of another victim, he is captured laughing and dancing on the dance-floor before leaving the premises. This victim has now had his driving licence revoked by the DVLA as a result of the eye injury he sustained. The attack continues to have a devastating impact on his life.
“During his first suspect interview, Greenwood described himself as a ‘peacemaker’, who could de-escalate situations and prevent violence. When later confronted with evidence indicating he was in fact the opposite, he decided not to answer questions.
“It is hoped that the sentence imposed today is sufficient to ensure Greenwood never inflicts harm like this on anybody again. Greater Manchester Police will do all that is necessary to ensure that those who engage in acts of violence are caught and confronted with the full force of the law.”
