A Massachusetts man has been convicted of assault after attacking a woman because she didn’t say “good morning” to him.
Ian Atkinson, 34, viciously beat the 59-year-old woman as she watered plants in the garden of her Boston home.
Her ordeal took place on July 13 last year, while Atkinson was still wearing an ankle monitor for a previous offence.
Prosecutors told the court the attack was instigated by Atkinson, who told the victim: “When people say good morning to you, you should say hello, you crazy bastard,” NBC Boston reports.
His lawyers claimed he acted in self-defense and accused the victim of spraying him with a garden hose and biting him.
However, the argument fell apart in court after the victim was able to get a mobile recording of the attack.
The harrowing clips show Atkinson leaving his black Mercedes and approaching the woman before unleashing a hail of punches.
Ian Atkinson has been convicted of assault after attacking a woman because she didn’t say ‘good morning’ to him
The first blow came with a sickening crash, silencing the woman who had just been singing.
Additional surveillance footage showed another angle of the horrific attack, as well as Atkinson attempting to mow down the victim in his car.
The woman was left with a broken nose, severe bruising to her head and face and a burst blood vessel in her left eye.
Police arrived at her home around 9am and found her ‘bleeding profusely’. She was then taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Atkinson, who did not know his victim, was arrested days after the attack after she was able to take down his license plate number.
Police were then able to track his location thanks to GPS monitoring.
Atkinson waived his right to a jury trial and was found guilty by a judge after just three days of battery and assault with a deadly weapon.
He was sentenced to two years in prison, followed by another two years of probation. He has previous convictions for drug and violent crimes.
Atkinson, 34, viciously beat the 59-year-old woman as she watered plants in the garden of her Boston home
She managed to record part of the attack on her cell phone. The attack left her ‘bleeding profusely’ with a broken nose and burst blood vessels in her eye
“For this victim, a pleasant summer morning turned into a violent and brutal ordeal for the most inexplicable of reasons,” said Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden.
“But even as she was being attacked, she had the presence of mind to record video, and that decision, along with her courageous testimony, provided enough evidence for the judge to make his decision.
“I join all members of the community in thanking this survivor for her courage.”