'You had this coming,' said Daventry man before he strangled customer in beer garden
A pub customer said he feared he would pass our after he was strangled while ‘minding his own business’ and having a pint.
A court was shown a video of the incident at The Plume of Feathers in Daventry during which Matthew Masters calmly walked up to the drinker and put his arms around his neck from behind him, popping his pint gently on a nearby table while he did so.
The defendant – who also uses the spelling Mathew – had said that his victim ‘had it coming’.
Northampton Crown Court heard that Masters, 46, had known the man as an acquaintance for 20 years when he launched the attack in June 2024 after walking out of the pub, down an alleyway, and into the beer garden.
CCTV from two angles showed Masters then grab the victim from behind, towering over him while he used his arms to grab him around his neck while talking to him and shoving him.
The attack stopped when other customers intervened.
Prosecuting, Stuart Pattinson, said: “He had had about four drinks and was having a conversation when he felt these two hands around his neck.
"Masters said ‘I told you you had this coming you little ginger c***’.”
The victim told the police: “I remember the grip being so hard I nearly passed out.
"He smashed my head against the wall after gripping my neck. He then headbutted me.
“I heard another couple of people say ‘he’s had enough now’.”
The court heard that Masters, of Ashby Road, Braunston, had six previous convictions, but none for the nearly 20 years. In May last year the police issued a wanted notice for Masters, after which he handed himself in and subsquently lost his job.
He was sentenced yesterday (Thursday, Januarty 8) for one count of intentional strangulation, to which he pleaded guilty. The attack was estimated to have lasted 30 seconds.
Mitigating, Liam Muir, said that his client was ‘absolutely distraught’ at what happened.
Recorder Louise Cox said: “Your actions were completely unprovoked. The victim was minding his own business when you chose to grab him by the throat.
"Intentional strangulation can have devastating consequences.
"It’s a fairly long time to have your hands around someone’s throat.”
She said that the custody threshold had been passed, but after hearing mitigation, said that she would suspend Masters’ 12 month prison sentence for 18 months.
He was also ordered to complete six months of mental health treatment and 30 rehabilitation activity days. He will also have to pay £100 in costs and a £187 surcharge.
Editor's note: This article has been amended. We have been asked to make clear that Matthew Masters was not the landlord of The Plume of Feathers in Daventry, where the incident happened. He was, in fact, the publican of another pub. We are happy to clarify the matter.