Homeowner, 39, attacked door-to-door salesman for knocking 'too hard'

Homeowner, 39, attacked door-to-door salesman for knocking ‘too hard’ after he flew into rage because of local children banging on his door to ‘wind him up’

• Andrew Lester, 39, dislocated grandfather Kerry Hagerty’s shoulder in the attack
• He was jailed for 21 months for GBH, assault by beating and criminal damage

A homeowner has been jailed for battering a salesman who knocked on his front door ‘too hard’.

Andrew Lester, 39, flew into a rage after getting fed up with local children knocking on his door and running away in Abertillery, Wales.

Lester was ‘wound up’ by the doorknocks and lashed out when door-to-door salesman Kerry Hagerty, a grandfather, knocked on his front door in June last year, Newport Crown Court heard.

He told police how he opened his door after the victim Mr Hegarty knocked it ‘too hard’ while he was inside.

But Lester was ‘very aggressive’, swore at him, took his sunglasses to break them, punched him, knocked him to the floor and stood over him shouting at him, according to victim Mr Hagerty.

Andrew Lester (pictured) flew into a rage after getting fed up with local children knocking on his door and running away

Mr Hagerty suffered a dislocated shoulder in the attack, required an operation under general anaesthetic to relocate his elbow.

He said: ‘I’ve never experienced anything like this before. It was a totally unprovoked attack.

‘I cannot play with my grandchildren. He was hell-bent on assaulting me. Ultimately what happened is going to affect me for the rest of my life.’

Former police officer Mr Hegarty was working for a finance company offering debt management plans when he called at Lester’s house in Abertillery, Gwent, in June last year.

Prosecutor Martha Smith-Higgins said the attack was ‘shocking’ and Mr Hagerty is ‘still experiencing the effects of this incident on a day-to-day basis’.

Lester was ‘wound up’ by the doorknocks and lashed out when door-to-door salesman Kerry Hagerty, a grandfather, knocked on his front door in June last year, Newport Crown Court heard (pictured)

Lester had a history of violent offending, with 15 convictions for 25 offences on his record before the attack.

Joshua Scouller, defending, said: ‘Through me he wishes to extend his apologies. He accepts this was a horrendous injury to have sustained.

‘He accepts he’s caused it, but the degree of severity was unforeseen. He accepts his reaction was not appropriate.

‘He has been his father’s carer for a significant period of time. His father relies upon him.’

Lester admitted causing GBH, assault by beating and criminal damage. Jailing him for 21 months, Recorder Sean Bradley was ‘concerned that you lack genuine remorse’.

Mr Bradley added: ‘I wonder whether you understand the consequences of your actions.’

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