Upwell man Lawrence Rooney sentenced in King’s Lynn court after incident which saw tattoo studio owner punched
A man insisted he is a “decent enough fellow” after being involved in an incident which saw a tattoo studio owner punched.
Lawrence Rooney, 36, of Small Lode in Upwell, appeared at Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, where he was sentenced for using threatening or abusive language to cause alarm or distress, as well as common assault.
He committed the offences in July 2023, and was subsequently found guilty at a trial in his absence on July 29 last year after denying them.
On Thursday, the court heard that Rooney and a female friend were drinking outside a tattoo studio in Norwich when the man and woman who own it attempted to enter.
The man exited the vehicle and asked them to move, but they became “obstructive” and “verbally abusive”.
Rooney’s friend then punched the man, and was later handed a 12-month community order involving treatment programmes for her mental health and alcohol problems.
Rooney became “angry” that the man was filming the incident, and continued to swear at him and threatened to “knock him out”.
The common assault charge was brought forward on the basis that Rooney put the victim “in fear”.
He then left the area with the woman, but the police apprehended them soon afterwards and arrested the pair.
Rooney, who had 57 previous convictions, said he did not know the woman, and they were simply “chatting” outside the studio.
He claimed that he agreed to leave the vicinity, but became aggressive when he believed the owner would attack her.
“I am not the kind of guy to try and bully people,” Rooney said.
“I am a sensible enough fellow.”
Magistrates handed him a £120 fine, while he will also pay a £48 victim surcharge and £200 in court costs.