FITZSIMMONS: BEGGAR SPARED JAIL FOR SPITTING AT GOOD SAMARITAN

A thug spat at and threatened to kill a Good Samaritan who refused his demands to be taken shopping, a court heard.

Jordan Fitzsimmons, 21, knocked on stranger Ibrahim Ikram’s front door to beg for money for cigarettes and the kindly man handed over £1.

But when Mr Ikram, who was at home in Tottenham with his wife, declined to buy him anything else, Fitzimmons sprayed saliva at him, punched him in the face and snarled: ‘I’m gonna kill you, you Turkish bastard.’

Just a month earlier he had brandished a chisel at rival Henry Smith, 20, in a street brawl resulting from their ‘Sicilian feud’, Blackfriars Crown Court herd.

Andrew Jackson, prosecuting, said the pair were notorious enemies and would ‘conduct their ongoing feud in public, in the street, whenever the opportunity arose’.

At around 2pm on May 23 last year Fitzimmons, who had been drinking beer and vodka, went into a shop on Holloway Road ranting about ‘Henry’.

Six hours’ later Fitzsimmons went into Crisp and Fresh on the same road warning he was ‘going to get Henry’ and if anyone saw Smith, to let him know.

Mr Jackson said: ‘He left the shop. Witnesses heard shouting, saw Mr Smith with his girlfriend walking down Holloway Road from Archway..

‘The inevitable occurred. Shouting and screaming. A witness describes Smith attacking Fitzsimmons, hitting him about two times while Fitzsimmons was on the floor.

‘Fitzsimmons runs to his house, takes a chisel and runs out towards Smith.

‘Smith goes into a shop gets a bottle and brandishes it.

‘Police are called.’

Fitzsimmons has a string of previous convictions for criminal damage, burglary and shoplifting.

Smith is even banned by a restraining order from turning up at his grandmother’s home without someone to help control him.

There was concern the pair may cause trouble in the dock and an officer sat between them for the hearing.

Judge Peter Clarke QC heard Fitzsimmons has been keeping to a curfew as part of his bail conditions and handed him 256 days in custody, equivalent to the time he has served on remand and on a tag.

He said: ‘I am impressed by the fact you’ve kept to your curfew.  It means you’ll be released hopefully within a day.’

Fitzsimmons said from the dock: ‘Thank you very much.’

Turning to Smith, he imposed a 12-month community order and supervision, and said: ‘No more feuding.’

Fitzsimmons, of Kimberley Gardens, Harringay, n London, admitted common assault on June 27 this year, threatening behaviour and having an offensive weapon.

Smith, of Holloway Road, Archway, n London, admitted threatening behaviour.

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