Published date: 08 October 2015 |
Published by: Court reporterRead more articles by Court reporter
A WELSH Guardsman who smashed a mug into the head of an 18-year-old student in an unprovoked attack in a pub beer garden at Amlwch was jailed for four and a half years. Steven Parry, aged 28, of Maes Mona, Amlwch, was said by the judge to have indulged in explosive, drunken and cowardly violence and his victim Tudor Morris Jones had needed lengthy surgery to repair injuries to his head.
Judge Rhys Rowlands said at Caernarfon crown court that Parry had a history of violence, including a similar attack in a pub, but had mainly kept out of trouble during his five years’ service in the Guards, which was now coming to an end.
Anna Pope, defending, said Parry, who pleaded guilty to wounding with intent, had been suffering from depression and anxiety and been given home leave by the army a week before the incident.
The judge told Parry: “It’s not the way to deal with depression by going out and drinking vast amounts of alcohol as you did this day.”
A restraining order bans him from contacting Mr Jones or any member of his family for five years and from posting any internet comments.
Richard Edwards, prosecuting, said the attack on July 19 followed an earlier incident when Mr Jones was using his phone outside, and had squeezed past Parry, who pinned him against a wall and had to be hauled off by another man.
Parry drove off in a car driven by his partner and yelled: “I’ll be back for you.”
Mr Jones went back into the Adelphi Vaults and was in the beer garden when he felt a tap on his shoulder and felt an unbearable pain in the left side of his head.
The incident was shown to the judge on CCTV and Mr Edwards said witnesses told how Mr Jones fell to a table, blood gushing from his head.
Parry had taken two swings but a customer pulled him off.
“The defendant got back in his girlfriend’s car and was driven away,” said Mr Edwards.
A paramedic arrived and Mr Jones was taken to Ysbyty Gwynedd then Glan Clwyd for a specialised four-hour operation.
Mr Jones, studying construction in Coleg Menai, was one of five students who obtained a scholarship to spend six weeks with employers, but had to miss the opportunity because of his injuries.
He had suffered nightmares, possible repercussions for himself and family.
Miss Pope said Parry had joined the Welsh Guards in 2010, providing “structure and purpose” to his life.
However his health and wellbeing had been affected when his partner had a miscarriage.
Judge Rowlands told Parry he’d returned to the pub with a mug in his hand, which had shattered, and had been trying to aim a third blow.
Deep lacerations had been caused and injuries would have been even worse had a blow struck an inch or two nearer the eye.
The judge remarked: “Your recollection when interviewed by a probation officer was that you had ten pints in the afternoon followed by yet more in the evening.”
Judge Rowlands said Parry did not have the means to pay compensation but if the victim applied for it “my view is that there was no provocation at all.”
http://www.northwaleschronicle.co.uk/news/153558/soldier-jailed-for-smashing-mug-over-teenager-s-head-in-anglesey-pub-attack.aspx
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