A MAN who punched his boss after an argument at work has walked free from court after a judge heard he had lost his job and had no money.

Michael Mallam hit Michael Andrew’s hard hat after a row about a fire in a decontamination unit at the Able UK yard, near Hartlepool.

Mallam, 42, was originally charged with assault and arson on March 7, last year, and was due to go on trial at Teesside Crown Court yesterday.

He admitted assault, but denied arson, and was acquitted after Judge George Moorhouse said there was no evidence linking him to it.

The judge imposed a two-year conditional discharge after Peter Makepeace, in defence, said: “He has never worked since and has no money to pay a financial penalty.”

The court heard that Mallam, of Frampton Green, Middlesbrough, was given a suspended jail sentence last year for driving with excess alcohol, Mr Makepeace said he had been receiving help from the Probation Service and will continue to seek assistance for problems with alcohol.

Rupert Doswell, prosecuting, said Mallam appeared to be drunk when he punched asbestos manager Mr Andrew, causing him to lose his balance.

Judge Moorhouse told Mallam: “You realise that was very foolish behaviour and no doubt it has had a serious effect upon you. If you offend in a similar way, this particular case will be revisited.”

In 1987, when he was 18, Mallam was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm to Bernard Horohan, of South Bank, Middlesbrough.

He was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in jail after a fatal attack on the father-of-three.

He started another four-and-a-half year sentence in 1991 after he was found guilty of the manslaughter of Brian Robson, of Norton, near Stockton, who died after a single blow to the head.