Tony Morgan turned violent when he was accused of attempting to pay using a fake £20 note
Tony Morgan, of Prescot Road, aged 30(Image: Merseyside Police)
A dad visited a convenience store in order to buy a crate of Budweiser but instead battered a shop worker with a can of beer. Tony Morgan subjected the member of staff to a vicious assault after being accused of attempting to pay for the booze with a counterfeit £20 note.
Accomplice James Buckley then joined in with the violence by smashing a beer bottle over the victim’s head. He was left with injuries including a fracture to his skull as a result of the shocking early hours assault.
Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday afternoon, Tuesday, that Akash Babu was working a night shift at Go Local Extra on Hatton Garden in Liverpool city centre on October 17 last year when several men entered the store shortly after 3.30am. Among this group was Morgan, who was said to have taken a crate of Budweiser to the till and attempted to pay for the beer with a £20 note.
But Iain Criddle, prosecuting, described how Mr Babu, a 24-year-old student who was working part-time in the shop, “was not satisfied that it was legitimate currency and said he could not accept the note”. This “appeared to annoy” the customer, who seemingly tried to leave without paying for the goods.
When Mr Babu sought to stop him from doing so, Morgan responded by repeatedly striking him with another open can of beer which he had in his hand. With the member of staff having clambered over the counter “in order to defend himself”, Buckley then “took it upon himself to get involved”, despite having been banned from entering the premises earlier the same day.
The 36-year-old, of no fixed address, was similarly said to have struck Mr Babu with a can which he was carrying before picking up a bottle of Budweiser, which had fallen to the floor during the melee, and hitting the victim over the head with the vessel, causing it to smash. He then kicked the victim before the group of men ultimately left the store.
Mr Babu suffered a displaced fracture to the skull and a broken little finger during the incident. In a statement which was read to the court on his behalf, he detailed how he “struggled writing, showering and cooking” as a result of his injuries and was only able to eat soft foods for months afterwards.
Buckley has eight previous convictions for 11 offences, including matters of theft, criminal damage and public order. He last appeared before the courts in 2024 for possession of drugs.
James Buckley, of no fixed address, aged 36(Image: Merseyside Police)
Jim Smith, defending, said while referencing a letter which had been written to the judge by his client: “It expresses substantial remorse for his behaviour and, essentially, his initial misadventure in trying to assist someone, which he realises, in hindsight, simply added to the criminal behaviour. He is very upset and sorry for the injuries caused to the complainant.
“He gives a background of drug abuse, which acted as catalyst for his out of character violence and his associations at a time when he had a drop in his mental health. Your honour will have read of the bereavement and his reliance on cocaine. He advises that he spent five years on the streets. He has tackled his drug addiction in custody.
“He has never been in a custodial environment apart from for this offence. He has been in custody for 12 weeks. He has no previous convictions for violence. I suggest that his behaviour was spontaneous and impulsive as a result of the fight that was going on behind him.
“This defendant has expressed remorse. He has taken steps to address his dependency. He has not been tempted to take any drugs while in the prison environment. He presents as a much different individual.
“The defendant has been through a very difficult background. He was homeless at the time of the incident. The bereavement issues, with the loss of, ostensibly, his mother, acted as catalyst in his decline into the abuse of drugs. He does want to move forward with his life and offer some contribution to society.”
Morgan’s criminal record meanwhile shows 10 convictions for 21 offences, including violence and theft. The 30-year-old, of Prescot Road in Old Swan, was previously sentenced to 10 months behind bars in December for affray, criminal damage, racially aggravated public order and possession of drugs.
His counsel, Lahraib Iqbal, told the court: “Mr Morgan has expressed, to me, deep remorse and regret for his involvement, his actions and for the injuries which the victim sustained. He informs me that, at the time, he too was homeless and had been for a significant period of time.
“He has been diagnosed as schizophrenia and, due to his period of homelessness, was not taking his medication. He was seeking comfort with his mental health and, at the time, was taking excessive amounts of cannabis and ketamine. He says that he has no recollection of the offence. He, still, is remorseful for the part that he played.
“Mr Morgan informs me that he was raised by a single mother but was subjected to abuse as a child. He began smoking cannabis at 13 years old. He was able to go on and obtain a number of GCSEs in English, maths and sciences.
“He went on to enrol himself on college courses in law, which then changed to an electrician’s course. However, he had to drop out of college due to his mental health at the time. Mr Morgan informs me that, throughout his life, he has spent a number of periods in psychiatric hospitals.
“There is a gap in his offending from 2019 to 2025. He is capable of living a law abiding life. He has been using his time wisely. He has been going to the gym regularly, and he tells me that this has had a positive impact on his mental health.
“He has been taking his medication and says that he feels very stable at the moment. He is clean of drugs for the first time in a long time. On top of that, he has obtained a job, working five days in the wood workshop.
“Mr Morgan informs me that, once released from custody, he has aspirations of maintaining his relationship with his 11-year-old daughter, who he has not seen for some time. He also has aspirations of gaining paid employment. He knows that is subject to him keeping his mental health in check. That is his aspiration, moving forward.”
Both defendants, who appeared via video link to HMP Liverpool, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Morgan, wearing a grey prison issue jumper, was jailed for 20 months, to be served consecutively to his current prison term.
Tony Morgan, of Prescot Road, aged 30(Image: Merseyside Police)
Buckley, who wore a khaki green Montirex t-shirt, was locked up for 18 months. They were also handed restraining orders which will prohibit them from contacting their victim or entering the shop in question for five years.
Sentencing, Recorder Sarah Griffin said to Morgan: “It was a nasty assault. You used an open drinks can in your right hand to hit him to the face and head. I have counted. You hit him seven times, across the counter, to the head.
“You, Mr Buckley, took it upon yourself to get involved. You can then be seen hitting and punching Mr Babu. You picked up one of the bottles from the floor. You hit him with it until it can be seen to smash. Still, months after this, he was only able to eat soft foods.”
Returning to Morgan, Recorder Griffin said: “You have violent offences on your record. I am told that you are, in fact, remorseful for your actions and you are, on reflection, sorry for the injuries that you caused to Mr Babu.
“I understand that, at the time of the offences, you were homeless. You were suffering from a mental disorder. I am told that there has been a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia. You have spent periods of time in hospital because of your mental health.
“You have demonstrated that you are capable of living an offence free life. I have heard about your difficult background and keep that in mind. You are making the most of your time in custody.
“You are drug free and have been working while in custody. I am told that you want to turn your focus to having contact with your 11-year-old daughter and gaining employment. I truly hope that is the case.”
To Buckley, the judge added: “This is the first time that you have spent time in custody. I take it that, in a letter drafted to me, you do express remorse and regret for your actions, that you are truly sorry for what you did and the injuries you caused to Mr Babu.
“To your credit, you stayed out of trouble for seven years. You were living on the streets and fell into more serious offending, it would seem. You have, in the past, been capable of holding down employment. You have also been involved in playing and coaching football.
“It seems that you are making good progress. You have tackled your drug abuse, I am told, and are developing relationships with family members. Since the loss of your adopted mother, I understand that you have struggled with your mental health.
“You, Mr Morgan, started this assault by striking Mr Babu with the can in your hand seven times. You, Mr Buckley, wholeheartedly involved yourself. This was a persistent assault. For a period of about 40 seconds, your victim was subjected to a barrage of blows, including with weapons.
“This was an unprovoked attack on a man who was simply doing his job when you each hit and punched him to the head and face. It is only through good fortune that Mr Babu did not receive more serious injuries.”