Flintshire,North Wales - Man jailed after fight at family barbecue

Published date: 27 April 2016 | 

Published by: Staff reporter
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A PLEASANT family barbecue which turned sour led to a 33-year-old man being jailed for 14 months.

A play fight between Darren Hughes and another man turned to aggression and Hughes punched the victim, smashing his jaw in two places.

Jailing him, Judge Robert Trevor-Jones said both men had been drinking at what was “meant to be a convivial gathering”. 

It was not a premeditated attack and Hughes admitted using excessive self-defence.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that on April 25 last year Hughes, a cockler of Sealand Avenue, Garden City, was at the barbecue in Birkenhead along with his girlfriend.

Also present was the victim Samuel Broster and his partner Elizabeth Morley, said Neil Bisarya, prosecuting.

Play fighting commenced between Mr Broster and the defendant and during the course of this Mr Broster pushed him, causing him to step back.

“The defendant’s behaviour changed considerably and he became instantly aggressive asking him to fight,” said the prosecutor.

The two men were separated and Mr Broster went into the house for a few minutes and then came back and wanted to shake his hand to demonstrate there was no animosity.

But Hughes pushed his way forward causing Miss Morley to fall against a wall and he punched 25-year-old Mr Broster once to the face. 

He and his girlfriend left and the victims went to Arrowe Park Hospital.

Mr Broster had suffered two fractures to his jaw and had to be transferred to Aintree Hospital where he underwent surgery to fit a metal plate and remove a wisdom tooth.

He was on a liquid-only diet for six weeks and as he was unable to work he lost his job as a PE teacher and could not play the sports he loved.

A year later he is still suffering from some numbness in his jaw, but has obtained a new job with a different school, said Mr Bisarya.

Hughes pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm and common assault.

In a basis of plea he said the play fighting had become real and “I felt he was trying to hurt me”. 

“As a consequence I thought he was going to attack me so I struck him in the face and pushed his girlfriend. I used more force that was necessary,” he said.

David Watson, defending, said Hughes, who has convictions for drugs and driving offences, has admitted having a problem with anger.

He has been under a curfew after admitting his guilt and has not been working for a few years because of depression – but he is hoping to return to work, said Mr Watson.

see-http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/161411/flintshire-man-jailed-after-fight-at-family-barbecue.aspx