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Daily Mirror
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'Coronation Street star almost blinded me – ITV soap needs to make decision'
Coronation Street newcomer James Cartwright, who joined the soap as scaffolder Theo Silverton was found guilty of grievous bodily harm years before his role in the ITV soap Coronation Street's James Cartwright, who recently joined the ITV soap as scaffolder Theo Silverton, was found guilty of grievous bodily harm before landing his role on the soap. The star left a man with a fractured eye socket in a nightclub in June 2012 - and was given an 18-month jail term, suspended for a year. 'I don't know what possessed you to act in the way you did," the judge said while passing the sentence. 'You punched him very hard in the face for little or no reason.' James joined the ITV soap earlier this year, as he became close to Todd Grimshaw. However, things took a turn when it was revealed the scaffolder had a secret wife and two children. Phil Mason has now spoken out, telling The Sun: 'It's sickening that a man with a violent criminal past has a starring role in one of Britain's biggest soaps. ITV needs to explain why they've given this man a job." Continuing, he said: "ITV needs to decide whether having him on screen sends out the right message. I don't want to see him on the telly in my living room after what he did to me and what he put me through.' Phil continued by saying James is seen as "a charmer" by viewers, "when in reality he attacked me for no reason and could have blinded me, or worse." Recalling the night, the dad of one, who was on a night out with his football team at Applejax nightspot in Chorley, claimed he had "no interaction" with Cartwright, who was "standing at the bar by himself." "The next thing I knew, I was on the floor. I didn't actually see it coming. I must have been knocked out," he told the publication. Phil was then taken to A&E where he was told he had a fractured eye socket and his "left eye had sunk". He then expressed it was "only luck" that he escaped without a more serious injury. Investigating officers told Phil that the actor had initially claimed to be acting in self-defence due to feeling threatened. He later denied one count of grievous bodily harm at Preston Crown Court in 2013. Cartwright claimed to have acted in self-defence but was convicted by a jury. Alongside the suspended sentence, the actor was given a year's supervision and told to pay £2,000 in compensation to the victim and another £2,000 for legal costs. On top of this, the star was made to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work. During the trial, the CCTV footage of the attack was played to the jury. Phil told the publication that the attack affected him "for a long time" afterwards. A spokesperson for the star told the publication: 'This is an incident which took place a long time ago. James has always regretted his reaction. Violence is never the answer.' An ITV source also told the Sun that "they were not aware of Cartwright's conviction as it was spent." Coronation Street isn't the actor's first big role. The actor played Nathan on CBBC's Tracy Beaker, taking on the role for 40 episodes from 2003 to 2004. He's also had roles on Downton Abbey as Tony Sellick and lent his voice to The Archers playing Harrison Burns. The Mirror has contacted ITV and a representative of James Cartwright for comment.
Scottish Sun
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Coronation Street star nearly BLINDED me in sickening nightclub attack – but was STILL given starring role in soap
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) NEW Coronation Street star James Cartwright battered a man in an unprovoked fight at a nightclub — leaving him with a fractured eye socket. Footage showed him lashing out at innocent dad Phil Mason despite the pair never speaking. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 6 Coronation Street star James Cartwright battered a man in a unprovoked fight at a nightclub 6 Footage showed the actor lashing out at innocent dad Phil Mason despite the pair never speaking Credit: PP. Cartwright, scaffolder Theo Silverton in the ITV soap, was found guilty of grievous bodily harm and given an 18-month jail term, suspended a year. Passing sentence, the judge told him: 'I don't know what possessed you to act in the way you did. 'You punched him very hard in the face for little or no reason.' Cartwright, 40, joined Corrie in March and his character has a gay fling in a current storyline. He has also played Morrissey in the film 24 Hour Party People and starred in radio's The Archers. Appalled victim Phil, 42, still suffers the effects of the punch and was shocked to spot the actor on his TV. He said Cartwright has never apologised, adding: 'It's sickening that a man with a violent criminal past has a starring role in one of Britain's biggest soaps. ITV needs to explain why they've given this man a job. 'Viewers will think he's a bit of a charmer when in reality he attacked me for no reason and could have blinded me, or worse. 'ITV need to decide whether having him on screen sends out the right message.' Coronation Street legend sparks concern days after hospital dash, saying 'I'm in mad pain' Phil added: 'I don't want to see him on the telly in my living room after what he did to me and what he put me through.' Phil was attacked on a night out with his football team at Applejax nightspot in Chorley, Lancs. The dad of one said: 'I went to the bar to get some drinks as I had the kitty. Cartwright was standing at the bar by himself. I didn't speak or have any interaction with him. 'The lads came over and had their drinks and then the next thing I knew I was on the floor. I didn't actually see it coming. I must have been knocked out. 'Someone called an ambulance and I was taken to A&E and they did an X-ray and told me I had a fractured eye socket and that my left eye had sunk. 'I was shocked as I could feel the blood dripping but just thought it was a cut and that I would have some stitches.' In court, it was said Cartwright hit Phil with a heavy blow. Phil had to stay in hospital for observation before surgeons operated, inserting a mesh into the socket to lift it back into place and reinforce the bone. You often hear of people being blinded by being smashed in their face, or someone being punched in the head and falling back and hitting their head and dying Phil He was allowed home later that day but had to wear an eye patch for two weeks to prevent infection and his eye was badly swollen. Phil added: 'You often hear of people being blinded by being smashed in their face, or someone being punched in the head and falling back and hitting their head and dying. 'It's only luck that meant I managed to escape without a more serious injury. Any blow to the face, worst case scenario, he could have killed me, couldn't he?' Phil was signed off for six weeks. But as a self-employed £1,000-a-week electrician he returned to work after two weeks as he feared falling behind on his mortgage. A few days after the attack, cops came round to take a statement. The investigating officers told Phil that Cartwright had initially claimed he was acting in self-defence as he felt threatened. But CCTV captured the June 2012 incident and showed Phil had no prior interaction with Cartwright. Phil added: 'I saw the CCTV and it was like he was mad, saw me and just hit me. It was totally unprovoked. I never spoke to him. He didn't speak to me. 'I'd never seen him before in my life or knew that he was on the TV. I only found that out much later.' Cartwright denied one count of grievous bodily harm when he appeared at Preston crown court in July 2013. He claimed to have acted in self- defence, but a jury convicted him following a trial. Besides the suspended custodial sentence, Cartwright was given a year's supervision and told to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work. He was told to pay £2,000 compensation to Phil, plus £2,000 towards prosecution costs. Phil attended the trial, which was held in the court next to where one-eyed police killer Dale Cregan was facing justice at the same time, and watched CCTV of Cartwright's violence as it was played to the jury. 6 Phil was left with a fractured eye socket Credit: PP. 6 Cartwright as Theo with screen daughter Millie (Kaitlyn Earley) Credit: Rex Defence barrister Neil Fryman said Cartwright, then 28, had no previous convictions. Mr Fryman said Cartwright had been successful in his acting career — winning a 2007 Royal Television Society Award for Best Leading Actor for his performance as Johnny in BBC's production Johnny Shakespeare, about an illiterate young man who gets taught to read by an ex-drama teacher. Mr Fryman told the court: 'He reached the dizzy heights of the National Theatre, the West End and the Best Actor award by the Royal Television Society.' It was totally unprovoked. I never spoke to him. He didn't speak to me Phil Passing sentence, Judge Recorder Andrew Long told Cartwright: 'I don't know what possessed you to act in the way you did. 'You launched an attack upon him, punching him very hard in the face for little or no reason. 6 Cartwright, 40, joined in March and his character has a gay fling in a current storyline Credit: ITV 'You know you put your life, everything you have worked for, in jeopardy.' In a victim impact statement read at court, Phil told how he suffered from headaches after driving long distances and that he had stopped playing as much football as a doctor told him a second blow to the eye could leave him blind. His eye also causes him pain and discomfort in cold weather. Phil, who lives in a £225,000 three-bed semi in Preston, said: 'It affected me for a long time. 'Definitely for the first couple of years after I was very wary of people I didn't know and I still am. 'I don't like being physically close to people. I am a bit self- conscious. I feel he got away with it by not being sent to prison. 'If an ordinary working-class person like me had done that to someone in a pub I'd have probably been doing some jail time. 'ITV should look much closer at who they employ. 'Should this man be beamed into everyone's front rooms on the television as a Coronation Street character when he's been convicted of GBH? That's the question ITV needs to ask itself.' Should this man be beamed into everyone's front rooms on the television as a Coronation Street character when he's been convicted of GBH? That's the question ITV needs to ask itself Phil A spokesman for the actor said last night: 'This is an incident which took place a long time ago. James has always regretted his reaction. Violence is never the answer.' Earlier this month Corrie fans saw Cartwright's character Theo leap to the defence of screen daughter Millie (Kaitlyn Earley) after she threw paint over a hearse belonging to Theo's love interest, undertaker Todd Grimshaw (Gareth Pierce). Millie shouted at Todd for tearing her family apart. Theo is wed to Danielle (Natalie Anderson) in the Weatherfield soap. Bolton-born Cartwright began his acting career aged 16. He was a regular in Radio 4 drama The Archers voicing PC Harrison Burns. Cartwright has also appeared in Clocking Off, the first Downton Abbey movie, Holby City, Doctors and as Nathan Jones in hit children's show The Story of Tracy Beaker. His stage credits include The History Boys and Passing By. An ITV source said they were not aware of Cartwright's conviction as it was spent.
