A father-in-law has been jailed for attacking his daughter’s husband after he ended their relationship on their honeymoon because he was having an affair.
Stephen Thatcher, 51, went to confront his daughter Sarah’s estranged husband after the break-up and found him at a hotel in bed with another woman.
Thatcher then launched a ‘frightening’ attack on Philip Stow – leaving him bloodied and battered.
He was jailed for one year for assault causing actual bodily harm to Mr Stow at Truro Crown Court last week.
The court heard that Sarah Penhaligon and Mr Stow, who are both in their 20s, wed last September at the Atlantic Hotel in Newquay, Cornwall, after a four-year relationship.
The couple then took a belated honeymoon to Mexico in January where Mr Stow told his wife their marriage was over and he was seeing another woman.
Defence barrister Jason Beal told the court the split had a devastating effect on Ms Penhaligon who was admitted to hospital after taking an overdose.
A few days later Thatcher and a group of his friends went to a hotel in Mount Wise, Cornwall, where Mr Stow was living with new lover Stacey Edwards.
Prosecutor Phillip Lee said Thatcher asked for access to the accommodation but the owner refused and warned he would call the police if he made any attempt to go upstairs.
But Thatcher and an unnamed second man ignored the owner and went to Mr Stow’s room and dragged him half naked into the hallway where they assaulted him.
Mr Lee said: ‘They were shouting. They both struck him a on a number of occasions, punching him with their fists to his head and body.’
Miss Edwards tried to intervene but was also struck by Thatcher.
Mr Stow, wearing just boxer shorts, managed to escape his attackers by running downstairs. His attackers were heard to say ‘this is vengeance’ as they left the hotel.
Mr Stow needed hospital treatment for damaged teeth and cuts and bruises to his face.
The next day Thatcher, who owns a guesthouse and 20 rental properties in Newquay, sent his ex-son-in-law a text message which read: ‘We love you like a son.
‘You have devastated our family but that is no excuse for what happened – sorry.’
Judge Christopher Harvey Clark QC said there was absolutely no justification for the ‘revenge’ attack.
He told Thatcher: ‘His mouth ended up a bloody mess (with) severe damage to his front teeth and, from what I have heard, serious physiological damage.
‘It may be that you say he deserved it, but not in civilized society. You know perfectly well that you went beyond the pale.’
Thatcher was jailed for 12 months for his attack on Mr Stow and two months concurrently for the assault on Miss Edwards.
