Man who mugged disabled pensioner Alan Barnes jailed for four years

His 67-year-old victim Alan Barnes today (Thursday, April 2) welcomed the sentence as “just about right” and said he hoped his attacker would “do some thinking” behind bars. 

Richard Gatiss tried to mug the 4ft 6in visually-impaired pensioner as he put his bins out - pushing him over, resulting in a broken collar bone.

The 25-year-old ran off empty-handed when Mr Barnes shouted for help.

Gatiss, who was desperate for money to buy so-called legal highs, was caught from a DNA match on his victim’s jacket pocket. 

Gatiss, of Split Crow Road, Gateshead, did not react when he was jailed at Newcastle Crown Court, having previously admitted assault with intent to rob.

A police mugshot of Gatiss.

Passing sentence Judge Paul Sloan QC said: "I have no doubt he was picked on by you because of his vulnerability.

"It was on any view a despicable offence."

Speaking afterwards, Mr Barnes said: "I hope while he's in prison he'll do some thinking and when he comes out he'll do something useful. Maybe he might decide to help people, which I think would be a good idea for him.

"It's sad that he was brought to the stage of doing something like this, not necessarily just me it could have been anybody and they might not have got over the incident."

Well-wishers who were moved by the plight of Mr Barnes raised £330,000 for him within days of the cowardly assault. The fund was set up by local beautician Katie Cutler, who initially hoped to raise £500 to buy him new carpets or curtains. 

Mr Barnes is now looking to buy a house in Low Fell, Gateshead, where he has lived all his life.

Earlier, Nick Dry, prosecuting, told the court the new house was made possible by the “overwhelming support and generosity of people in the local area and indeed around the world".

"Although he is still wary of going out, he is over the worst of the injury and is positive about the future."
Jamie Adams, mitigating, said Gatiss was appalled by what he had done, but there was “another side” the public needed to know about. 

He said Gatiss was from a loving family and suffered from a disability himself. 

His devastated father Karl cut off all ties with his son following the attack, but after two months decided he could not abandon him.

In a letter read to the court, his father said: “My wife and I have always tried to instil proper moral values. 

“I have never known him to be unkind to anyone – let alone to people with disabilities. He was a kind-hearted unselfish boy who always wanted to help others before himself.” 

The court was told Gatiss had been required attended a special school due to learning difficulties, including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and severe dyslexia. 

He said his son, who was interested in cycling, walking and fishing developed low self-esteem because of his problems and started on the “slippery slope of drug taking”

“He latterly used legal highs and the likeable lad we had known drifted away from us.

“Over the last eight months he became epileptic and suffered from paranoia and suicidal tendencies, as well as weight loss and memory loss. He also harmed himself. 

“Our family observed to our extreme sadness the deterioration of our formerly cheerful boy into a shadow of himself, with whom we were unable to communicate.”

Mr Adams said Gatiss, who had been kept in segregation in Durham Prison for his own safety, had been hounded by other prisoners on his way to court.

He said: "Life is not easy for him.

"He is going to be in the public glare for a long time to come and he knows that. There is a lot for him to deal with."

Outside court, Superintendent Richard Jackson said: "We welcome the sentencing of Richard Gatis and this should send a message out to those criminals who think it is acceptable to target the vulnerable.

"It was down to the excellent work of detectives that we managed to forensically link Gatis to the incident and ultimately bring him to justice.”

• WITH the success of her fundraising efforts for mugged pensioner Alan Barnes, Katie Cutler has now set her sights on a new ambitious target of raising £1 million.

She hopes to raise the amount by September, through her new organisation, the Katie Cutler Foundation, and is hoping the public will continue giving generously.

"What we're hoping for is to raise £1 million by September, but all we need is one million people to donate one pound and we'll have hit the million we need," she said.

FOUNDATION LAUNCH: Katie Cutler and Alan Barnes on the Newcastle Quayside after the launch of the Katie Cutler Foundation. Picture: TOM BANKS

"We'd like to help as many people as we can, even small acts of kindness, so we're looking for businesses getting involved and donating things like meals."

Disabled Mr Barnes, who had his life transformed by the fundraising Miss Cutler launched, says he will work as an ambassador for the charity and do his best to help it reach its goal.

"I'm working as an ambassador for the Katie Cutler Foundation and we're hoping that the public will support us and we're also asking businesses to donate to the foundation so we can help a lot more people," he said.

Having been given the final amount of £330,000, Mr Barnes is now hoping to buy a new home in Low Fell, Gateshead.

His brother-in-law, Paul Yore, said: "It was a horrible thing that happened but out of all this something really positive has happened.

"I think it's great that Alan is set now.

“He's getting a lovely little house in Low Fell and he'll have an army of people watching his back. Low Fell will be the safest place in the world for him.

"I'm also happy he's getting the chance to fulfil his ambition of doing charity work.”

For more information visit katiecutlerfoundation.co.uk