Sunderland University student urinated on 72-year-old woman as she drank coffee in Pret A Manger

A teenage university student was shamed by a court after he got drunk and urinated over a 72-year old woman as she sipped coffee inside a Pret A Manger cafe.
Mason Hudson. Picture by Cavendish PressMason Hudson. Picture by Cavendish Press
Mason Hudson. Picture by Cavendish Press

Mason Hudson, 19, a student at Sunderland University, had been under the influence of both drink and drugs following a music festival in Manchester when he decided to relieve himself on customers shortly after the shop opened for breakfast.

Elderly victim Janet Frazer who was sat at a table at the cafe's Portland Street branch screamed and had to move away as she was splashed by Hudson who is in his first year of a degree course.

Mason Hudson. Picture by Cavendish PressMason Hudson. Picture by Cavendish Press
Mason Hudson. Picture by Cavendish Press
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The undergraduate, a former pupil at a Catholic comprehensive school, then calmly finished answering his call of nature on the floor - before slapping shocked cafe manager Nathan Withers in the face as he walked out. Police detained him outside.

Hudson, of Langley Park, Durham was shamed faced as he attended Manchester magistrates' court, and bowed his head as he admitted two charges of common assault and was given a 20-week jail term suspended for 12 months.

The case has also been reported to Sunderland University as a "potential disciplinary incident" and bosses say it will now be dealt with under the institutions processes.

The incident occurred on June 12 the morning after Hudson - who has an £8,200-a-year student loan - had attended the Parklife Festival in Heaton Park where headline acts included American rapper Frank Ocean, hip hop artist Stormzy and singers Jess Glynne and Zara Larsson.

Mason Hudson. Picture by Cavendish PressMason Hudson. Picture by Cavendish Press
Mason Hudson. Picture by Cavendish Press
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Prosecuting Miss Tina Cunnane said: "At 7.15am Nathan Withers noticed the defendant acting in a strange manner in the coffee shop and looked as if he was under the influence of drugs.

"He heard a female voice screaming and when he looked around saw the defendant urinating on an elderly female. She was sat at a table and was a customer. She ran from the defendant who was left stood in the shop holding his penis. He was still urinating.

"He looked at the male who was shocked and he finished urinating and put his penis in his pants. He then walked past Nathan Withers and slapped him with his right hand to his right cheek. He pushed his hand away and followed him.

"Mr Withers went up to a parked police patrol vehicle and gave a description of the defendant and the defendant was detained. He was shocked by what happened and felt particularly sorry for the female customer.

Mason Hudson. Picture by Cavendish PressMason Hudson. Picture by Cavendish Press
Mason Hudson. Picture by Cavendish Press
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"The defendant was interviewed and said he admitted to assaulting one of the victims. He said he does remember going into Pret A Manger but couldn't remember where he was coming from. He said he couldn't remember what he did.

"Regarding slapping the staff member he didn't think it was a slap but he's admitted it today. There's a record here that shows there are no previous convictions, cautions or reprimands."

In mitigation defence lawyer Mr Nnamdi Inegbu said: "This is an unsavoury, unpleasant incident. He's very ashamed and it's regrettable that he finds himself in this position. You might be wondering what caused him to do this, it's a concoction of drink and drugs. He had been to one of the festivals in Heaton Park. He was also celebrating going to a concert with friends.

"This happened in the early morning, his recollection is very little. He's a young individual of 19, he's a student and has never been in trouble before and he finds himself in this predicament."

Mason Hudson. Picture by Cavendish PressMason Hudson. Picture by Cavendish Press
Mason Hudson. Picture by Cavendish Press
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Mr Inegbu added: ''The main factor was he had been out drinking all that weekend and the recollection is a little some what hazed. He doesn't remember but doesn't dispute what he did.

"He's a young man. He's at university studying in his second year at the university of Sunderland and ultimately clearly this is going to have a strain on his career moving forward. He's got a conviction that he will have to declare to further employers. As he puts it his long term aim was to try and get some work in primary school education. With a conviction like this it may hinder him considerably.

"He has no previous convictions this was out of character. The main factor behind what he did was alcohol. I don't want to trivialise the seriousness of the offence. The fact there was an elderly lady involved may cause you concerns. A suspended sentence over him it will remind him over the next 12 months or so. He has a student loan approximately £8,200 a year.''

Hudson was also ordered to complete 250 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £200 costs and surcharges plus £50 compensation to Mr Withers. The court was unable to trace Mrs Frazer to award her damages.

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Dean Marsh chairman of the magistrates said: "We find that this assault, particularly the assault on Janet Frazer was a particularly nasty, vicious and despicable act. To urinate on an old lady in public, or private, is absolutely despicable. Alcohol has been used as the reason this happened. That's not a mitigating factor - it's an aggravating factor and not an excuse."

He added: "You won't go to prison now but should you commit any further offences in 12 months you can be brought back to court. Unfortunately we do not have any means of contacting Janet Frazer and are unable to award compensation which we would have done."

Hudson will pay the money at £10 per week.

A spokesperson for the Sunderland University said: “This student case has been reported as a potential disciplinary incident and will be dealt with by the university's processes.”