Martin Powell was sentenced to two years in a young offenders institution for beating the Rev. Dr. Barry Rathbone with a metal baseball bat in Bournemouth Gardens, Dorset UK after asking him “Excuse me mate, does anything go on round here?”
Powell was under the influence of alcohol and amphetamine at the time of the attack. Rathbone escaped with fairly minor injuries, and says he forgives Powell: “I forgive him unequivocally as my faith and, I believe, my personality are strong enough to do so.”
