CCTV Evidence Heard in Toxteth Man Assault Case 2026

Key Points

• Alan Hughes, a Toxteth man, pleaded guilty to the charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm committed against his former partner, Sophie Skelton.
• The Liverpool Crown Court was told that the police were alerted to a hostel off Lower Breck Road in Anfield during the Christmas Eve last year.
• The police discovered Ms Skelton with several injuries and bloodstains in the floor of a second-storey room.
• Charles Lander, the prosecutor, stated that initially, Ms Skelton told the police that she had fallen down the stairs and that she did not want to interact with the officers.
• At a later stage, Hughes was discovered by the police trying to clean another pool of blood at the top of a staircase.
• According to the CCTV footage, there was a prolonged assault lasting for about two minutes.
• The video footage shows Hughes pulling Ms Skelton by the hair, dragging, punching, kicking and pulling her up the stairs.
• Ms Skelton was taken to the Royal Liverpool Hospital where she did not give a statement to the police.
• Hughes was sentenced to 35 months imprisonment, suspended for three years.
• He is required to fulfill a 12-month Drug Rehabilitation Requirement and to attend up to 15

Toxteth Crime (Liverpool standard) September 7, 2026 — Alan Hughes has been handed a suspended prison sentence after admitting assaulting his former partner, Sophie Skelton, at a hostel in Anfield on Christmas Eve last year. Liverpool Crown Court heard that officers found Ms Skelton injured and bloodied, while Hughes was later discovered attempting to clean a pool of blood at the top of a staircase.

What happened at the Anfield hostel?

According to the Liverpool Echo report, police were called to a hostel off Lower Breck Road in Anfield shortly after 6.30pm on December 24 following a report of a disturbance. Officers attended the property and found Ms Skelton, who was Hughes’ girlfriend at the time, in a second-storey room.

The court heard that Ms Skelton had “multiple injuries” and that officers found a “large amount of blood on the floor” in the room. Charles Lander, prosecuting, said she did not want to engage with police and told officers that she had fallen down the stairs.

However, police later found Hughes, then aged 57 and living on Coltart Road in Toxteth, attempting to clean a further pool of blood at the top of a staircase, the Liverpool Echo reported.

What did the CCTV footage show?

As reported by the Liverpool Echo, CCTV footage played before Liverpool Crown Court showed Hughes carrying out what was described as a “prolonged and persistent” assault over approximately two minutes.

The footage showed Hughes pulling Ms Skelton by her hair, dragging her along the floor, punching and kicking her while she was on the ground, and attempting to pull her up a flight of stairs.

Judge Simon Medland KC said he had watched the recording and referred to all but two seconds of the footage as showing Hughes “ragging her around” and pulling her by the hair. He said Hughes also kicked her when he wanted her to go upstairs.

Ms Skelton was subsequently taken to the Royal Liverpool Hospital for treatment. The court was told that she was unwilling to make a statement to police.

What charge did Alan Hughes admit?

Hughes admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm, commonly known as ABH. The case had originally involved an allegation of wounding with intent, according to the Liverpool Echo’s court report.

He appeared at Liverpool Crown Court by video link from HMP Liverpool. The court sentenced him to 35 months’ imprisonment, suspended for three years.

A suspended sentence means the prison term will not be served immediately unless the person commits further offences or breaches the conditions imposed by the court during the suspension period.

Why was the prison sentence suspended?

Judge Medland took into account the time Hughes had already spent in custody and on a qualifying curfew. The court heard that Hughes had spent 174 days on remand and completed 81 days on a qualifying curfew linked to the case.

The judge noted that, if the 35-month sentence had been imposed immediately, Hughes would have spent about another six weeks in prison. Hughes’ 58th birthday was due to fall on the Friday following the hearing.

Hughes’ barrister, Anna Duke, told the court that he had used his time in custody to take courses related to alcohol misuse, drug addiction and domestic violence.

Ms Duke told the court: “The defendant has been in custody for some significant length of time. It is just over seven months. He has utilised that time extremely well.” She said Hughes had undertaken courses voluntarily and appeared determined to improve his position.

The defence also said Hughes accepted that he should not have behaved in the manner described in court.

What did the judge say about the assault?

Judge Simon Medland KC described the incident as an “appalling spectacle” and said Hughes had treated Ms Skelton with “utter contempt”.

In sentencing remarks reported by the Liverpool Echo, the judge said: “You have a very bad set of antecedents behind you. Some of them are directly relevant, in terms of drink or drug-fuelled violence.”

The judge also told Hughes: “On the 24th of December last year, you behaved in a completely unacceptable, violent and bullying way to the woman who was then your domestic partner.”

He further described Hughes’ conduct as “disgusting, violent and aggressive and completely unacceptable”.

What previous convictions did Hughes have?

The court heard that Hughes had 39 previous convictions for 84 offences. The convictions included assault occasioning actual bodily harm in 1996, affray in 1997, assault with intent to resist arrest in 2020 and battery in December 2022.

Judge Medland said some of Hughes’ previous offences were relevant to the court’s consideration because they concerned violence connected with drink or drugs.

The sentencing hearing considered both Hughes’ criminal record and the steps he said he had taken while in custody. The judge imposed a suspended prison sentence alongside rehabilitation measures and a restraining order.

What conditions must Alan Hughes follow?

Hughes must comply with a 12-month drug rehabilitation requirement. He must also complete a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 15 days.

The court additionally imposed a five-year restraining order preventing Hughes from contacting Ms Skelton.

The order is intended to provide legal protection by barring direct contact with Ms Skelton for the period set by the court. Any alleged breach of a restraining order can be investigated as a criminal matter.

How does the sentence affect Sophie Skelton?

The five-year restraining order means Hughes is prohibited from contacting Ms Skelton during that period. The rehabilitation requirements also form part of the conditions attached to Hughes’ suspended sentence.

The case was prosecuted despite Ms Skelton not providing a police statement, with CCTV footage and evidence from officers forming part of the account heard by the court.

The hearing illustrates the role that video evidence, police observations and forensic circumstances can play in criminal proceedings where a complainant does not engage with an investigation.

Background: What is known about the Christmas Eve incident?

The incident took place at a hostel off Lower Breck Road in Anfield, Liverpool, shortly after 6.30pm on December 24 last year. Police had been called following reports of a disturbance, and officers found Sophie Skelton injured in a second-storey room where there was a large amount of blood on the floor.

The court heard that Ms Skelton initially said she had fallen downstairs, while police later found Alan Hughes cleaning blood from the top of a staircase. CCTV footage was central to the prosecution case, with the court told it recorded an assault lasting around two minutes.

Hughes, of Coltart Road in Toxteth, pleaded guilty to ABH and received a 35-month sentence suspended for three years, together with treatment, rehabilitation and protective-order requirements.

Prediction: How could the ruling affect Liverpool residents?

For Liverpool residents, particularly people affected by domestic abuse, the ruling may underline that police and prosecutors can rely on evidence beyond a complainant’s formal statement, including CCTV footage and officers’ observations. The case also demonstrates that courts can impose protective restrictions and rehabilitation requirements alongside a suspended prison sentence.

For Hughes, the suspended sentence places him at risk of imprisonment if he commits further offences or fails to comply with the court’s requirements during the three-year suspension period. The five-year restraining order remains a separate safeguard preventing contact with Ms Skelton.