Thug's Facebook boasts

John Scheerhout

July 23, 2009

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A VICIOUS thug who escaped jail after a sickening attack meant a man lost an eye has boasted about beating up men.

Zachary Applegate, 18, was part of a gang of youths who launched an unprovoked assault on Dave Barry after a night out in Failsworth two years ago.

Mr Barry had a bottle smashed in his face.

The yob, of Crayford Road, Newton Heath, was just 15 at the time and on Monday he was handed a 12-month community punishment order and instructed to do 150 hours unpaid work.

It could not be proven that Applegate was the one who swung the bottle but the sentence sparked outrage on the M.E.N. website. And Applegate is now thriving after escaping jail, working as a car valeter and planning to start university in September.

Amazingly, just weeks before he appeared for sentencing for the attack on Mr Barry, the yob wrote on social networking site Facebook that he 'beats big fat men up'.

Complained

On the site, Applegate says he is a Christian.

When the M.E.N. contacted Applegate, he refused to apologise and complained: "You'll paint me to be the Devil."

He said he could lose his job if he spoke out. He added: "I'm going to university in another city in September and I could lose six weeks' earnings if I lose my job because of this."

He was invited to apologise to Mr Barry but refused, saying there was 'a lot more to the story'.

Following the attack, Mr Barry, 45, underwent several operations, but his right eye had to be removed. He has also lost his machine operator job because of the damage to his sight.

Mr Barry said: "This just tells you all you need to know about him. My life is never going to be the same again. I have to live with this disability now."

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Barthomley (23/07/2009 at 07:13)

Contact the university.

st helens blue(exiled) (23/07/2009 at 07:20)

Unfortunately this sums up society today....talk about sticking 2 fingers up at the courts.

When I was a lad ,if I misbehaved all my mum had to say to me was "wait until your dad gets home".....that was it.!! Now these youths are going round smashing bottles in peoples faces without a care in the world and bragging about it. I really am lost for words..Just hope my son doesn't ever turn out to be an animal like this piece of scum..

Squire of Newton, Newton nr. Hyde (23/07/2009 at 09:23)

This piece of scum shouldn't even be allowed into university, i hope they recognise him and sling him out before he gets the chance to take any tuition.
My thanks to the MEN for publishing this Low Lifes photo ...he shouldn't be allowed any anominity.

flipsterlondon, Marylebone, London (23/07/2009 at 09:26)

university LOL??? U sure its not kindergarden??

Cavalier Jackson, Tameside (23/07/2009 at 09:34)

Uni isn't what it used to be. It's more a money maker these days.As a result some of them are happy to accept dregs like this in to their halls. I feel sorry for the victim and nothing for this idiot but the thing that annoys me most of all is our legal system, it's a disgrace.

m69 alty (23/07/2009 at 09:40)

Hopefully someone can name the car valeters that he works for and the public can make a choice as to whether they use the service or not. I wouldn't want him anywhere near my vehicle to be honest. I think it would be a public service to inform the university too. Would they really want someone who 'beats big fat men up' attending?

dessie, manchester (23/07/2009 at 09:54)

this guy is a criminal who needs to be locked up instead of uni. ridiculous decisions by judges and governments alike!!!

absolute vermin

AnOnYmOuS!!, Manchester (23/07/2009 at 10:05)

How easy it is to sit there and say, contact the uni, find out where he works....like the court found they couldn't prove who actually threw the bottle because it wasn't him, there is always two sides to every story....ever heard of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. This lad alright I by far do not condone what his mindless friend did but his family are good honest law abiding people.....as for there was a lot more to the story....do all you people know the full story???? thought not.

Jay B, oldham (23/07/2009 at 10:08)

and we wonder why this country is lawless and out of control! you too can go out and seriously injure someone and get away with it!

this basically advertises that fact!

Rimsky (23/07/2009 at 10:11)

He looks quite soft to me. I think he only hunts in a pack.

Thomas The Tank, Rusholme (23/07/2009 at 10:21)

We shall see how many statistics some authoratative body can come up with for bottle crime? Or glassing in in the face crime? Or baseball bat crimes? etc....etc... then we can all rest easy knowing as they will no doubt inform us that it's only 3% or this or that or some other totaly inane pathetic excuse. There is only one answer to rid the streets of the UK once and for all of this ferrel scum. STAMP DOWN HARD!!....from every quarter, POLICE aggresivley, JUDGES hand down proper severe and above all JUST sentences! Set up some island BOOTCAMPS drill them till they drop, show them utter contempt, and if we are lucky maybe 1% of them will redeem themselves, as for the rest they wouldn't even know what the word meant or how to. So we should literally just throw away the key on every one and all of them. Boy or Girl no difference there.
Going to university? What a joke, did he get a grant? Did Mr Barry get any compensation if any how much, not enough to cover the rest if his lost earnings of the future i'll wager. Oh at this juncture I will throw in that my father was brutally knifed to death over 20 years ago, first degree murder and he didn't even serve his full so called " LIFE" sentence, and my mother was left bereft of her husband and us without a father or bread winner. She did not receive a penny of compensation? This country is a disgrace, abused left right and centre, no wonder we are the laughing stock of the world.

The Devil's Advocate, M11 born and bred, East Stand Lower 104 (23/07/2009 at 10:28)

do all you people know the full story???? thought not.
AnOnYmOuS!!, Manchester
23/07/2009 at 10:05

Maybe not all the story, however "the yob wrote on social networking site Facebook that he 'beats big fat men up'". That's good enough for me to make a decision about this. What do you say about that anonymous? Thought not!!

EricH, Horwich (23/07/2009 at 10:43)

AnOnYmOuS wrot - 'his family are good honest law abiding people', in which case why haven't they named their little treasure's accomplices?

Bejjy ex Salford now Malta, Malta (23/07/2009 at 10:44)

AnOnYmOuS!!,

Applegate has been convicted of a vicious assault and he has admitted on Facebook that he is a violent individual. What more of the "story" do we need to know, whatever it is Applegate, in most decent people's eyes, is a thug.

Bejjy ex Salford now Malta, Malta (23/07/2009 at 10:46)

Rimsky,

Of course they do, thugs like Applegate haven't got the courage to act on their own with or without drugs; in other words they are cowards.

gillykins, urmston (23/07/2009 at 10:47)

I agree with the Devils advocate here. If he is so innocent and was in the wrong place at the wrong time - then WHY is he bragging online about beating people up? If he was a nice lad he would be apologising profusley and hanging around with a nicer group of mates. Everybody is entitled to make a mistake or two in life. Beating someone to a pulp and causing them to lose an eye is not a mistake, its a heartless action by a mindless thug.

James Yates, Hyde, Cheshire (23/07/2009 at 10:49)

So he's annoyed because "... I could lose six-weeks earnings because of this ...". The only person in the world who might be surprized by this attitude is the judge who let him off. The attack was carried out by a gang; they all got away with it. If you live in Greater Manchester I have some advice for you; get away as soon as you can before you and your family become the next people whose lives will be ruined. Even if the police, with not support from the local 'community' catch the villains, you will see the scum back on the streets within days and they will laugh in your face.

AnOnYmOuS!!, Manchester (23/07/2009 at 10:56)

Maybe not all the story, however "the yob wrote on social networking site Facebook that he 'beats big fat men up'". That's good enough for me to make a decision about this. What do you say about that anonymous? Thought not!!
The Devil's Advocate, M11 born and bred, East Stand Lower 104,
23/07/2009 at 10:28

How do you know he was talking about Mr Barry, are you the one calling him a fat man? I think after being hounded by the press and having your name dragged through the mud for just being 'in the wrong place at the wrong time', being dragged through the court system how do you know what context that was said in, how do you he wasn't saying I may aswell plead guilty and say yes I beat fat men up......see if your a friend of Zacs you would know him as a person, how would you feel if your families name was being dragged through the press for an incident your son, grandson, nephew etc was present at but yet not dierctly involved....and before you start with all that rubbish about my son, grandson, nephew doesn't bother with people like that..... sit & think can you explain their whereabouts 24/7.....THOUGHT NOT!!!

enlightened (23/07/2009 at 11:01)

Talk about thinking about yourself! How many weeks earnings will Dave Barry loose? I will wash my own car for the next six weeks just incase. Be careful if you are overweight and want your car washing you may get hit with a bottle as part of the deal.

dessie, manchester (23/07/2009 at 11:01)

George Kane, Stretford (23/07/2009 at 11:05)

Scum should be locked up for life.

Ran Droid, Manchester (23/07/2009 at 11:13)

@AnOnYmOuS

He was part of a gang who attacked a man, one of whom used a bottle meaning the man lost an eye.

He brags about beating people up on Facebook.

The 'other side of the story' is going to have to be pretty damned impressive to justify not calling Applegate a yob.

Angie33 , Manchester (23/07/2009 at 11:15)

Most teenage lads are loved by their family.We all have to understand that in a gang and with even small amounts of booze down them they could be involved in incidents that could ruin the lives of themselves their family and in this case the victim and his family.Maybe someone could tell us what is going through the mind of the gang members when they decide to set upon a lone victim.Is it fear of the leader of the gang?What is it?

Guten Tag, Manchester (23/07/2009 at 11:20)

"He beats big fat men up". Okay, so that proves he can't pick on someone the same or bigger size, ergo he's a bully and a coward. He has no place in normal decent society. He's heading for a custodial sentence or worse, a pine box. Just hope either is sooner rather then later.

AnOnYmOuS!!, Manchester (23/07/2009 at 11:28)

Dessie ....who do you think you are talking to.... i was merely pointing out the fact that the press don't print the full story and so yes it is easy to make a viewpoint or form an opinion as everyone is entitled to one.... as for telling the courts he was there, he did do exactly that and got unpaid hours for a crime that they cannot even prove he committed.

The point im making is all you readers will read this and automatically think scum, idiot, thug etc....the fact is: As people
1. If out in a group of friends is one of a gang
2. If heard shouting or talking loudly is a yob
3. Wears a hood is a hoodie

Form your opinions as you will but until you know the complete and full story...

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