Lambourn ‘feels safer’ with violent Darren Geraghty behind bars

A VIOLENT offender said to have terrorised a village has been jailed.

One of his victims, who worked in the horseracing industry, said: “I feel people in Lambourn feel safer [with him locked up] as he has assaulted others in the village.”

In the dock at Reading Crown Court on Friday, February 28, was Darren Geraghty.

The 34-year-old, of Lynch Lane, Lambourn, assaulted Dylan Smith with a baseball bat, thereby causing him actual bodily harm, in Lambourn on April 13 last year.

He has further admitted assaulting Lara Malcolm by beating her, witness intimidation with intent to pervert the course of justice, causing actual bodily harm to Ms Malcolm and causing criminal damage.

The court heard Geraghty had attacked Mr Smith in a jealous rage because he and other horseracing industry companions had been socialising with Ms Malcolm.

Keith Hadrill, prosecuting, said Geraghty launched his unprovoked attack on Mr Smith outside the village Co-op store, striking him repeatedly about the head and face.

He attacked Ms Malcolm, with whom he had been in a turbulent relationship, when she queried his use of crack cocaine, added Mr Hadrill.

The court heard Geraghty beat her to the floor, dragged her outside by her hair and slammed her head repeatedly into the concrete.

On another occasion he kicked out her front windscreen while she was driving and beat her until he was too tired to continue, as part of a “catalogue of violence” he subjected Ms Malcolm to.

Geraghty subsequently embarked on a relentless intimidation campaign which so terrified her that she tried to withdraw the witness statement she had given to police.

In a victim impact statement Ms Malcolm said Geraghty owed many people for drugs and that villagers had felt safer since he had been locked up to await sentencing.

Olivia English, defending, said her client had had time to reflect on his life, having been remanded in custody since last July.

A psychiatric report had identified unresolved bereavement trauma, she added.

Geraghty himself told the court: “I apologise for my behaviour; I’m very upset with myself for allowing myself to go down the wrong path.

“I allowed people to manipulate me but I take full responsibility for my actions – I was a complete mess from drugs and alcohol and my life spiralled out of control.

“I’ve seen the error of my ways and I feel I’m now ready for rehabilitation.”

Judge Alan Blake sentenced Geraghty to 32 months in prison, minus the time he has already spent in custody on remand.

He will spend half of that sentence behind bars and the remainder on licence in the community.

In addition, Judge Blake imposed a five-year restraining order forbidding Geraghty from contacting Ms Malcolm, either directly or indirectly.