Published date: 11 July 2016 |
Published by: Staff reporterRead more articles by Staff reporterEmail reporter
Picture: Cross Foxes pub (Image: Google)
A MAN headbutted, punched and kicked a younger man during an incident outside a pub because of an innocuous comment about his trainer shoes.
Leigh Brooks had a previous conviction for violence when he bit another man’s ear.
At Mold Crown Court on Friday, Brooks, of Y Berthlog, Trelogan, near Holywell, admitted a wounding charge and was jailed for 14 months.
The victim suffered a deep wound to his top lip, which had left a scar, together with other injuries.
Judge Rhys Rowlands said the complainant, Patrick Farrell, made a comment about liking the defendant’s trainers.
“Plainly because you had too much to drink you took some form of offence, got up and headbutted him,” the judge said.
Fortunately that did not cause any particular injury and the young man said he did not want any trouble and left The Cross Foxes in Prestatyn.
“You followed him outside and punched him to the face, a very heavy blow, something of a boxer’s punch, because he fell to the ground immediately and may well have blacked out,” the judge said.
A witness then saw Brooks, 33, kick the victim and described him as “really going for it.”
“It was on any view a totally cowardly, unjustified drunken attack,” he said.
Judge Rowlands said Brooks claimed he had drunk 10 pints, which he said was “an awful lot and far too much.”
Brooks had delivered a heavy punch and used his feet as weapons – kicking the man while he was lying helpless on the ground.
It had a profound effect on him, he had lost confidence and did not go out as much any more.
Judge Rowlands said he accepted Brooks had neurological problems after an accident at the age of 13 but said that was no excuse.
“The problems were exacerbated by drinking to excess,” he said.
It was far too serious to be dealt with by anything other than immediate custody.
Prosecutor Emmalyne Downing said on December 12 last year the victim went out for a game of pool with friends and a quiet drink.
He had a 15-second conversation with the defendant after he noticed that Brooks had smart trainer shoes and asked where he got them?
Without warning he was headbutted.
The victim did not want trouble and immediately left but as he walked away Brooks ran up to him and said he wanted to apologise.
Mr Farrell said he did not want to hear it – and Brooks put his arm around his neck.
The victim repeatedly told him he did not want trouble and tried to pull away – but was punched to the face, dropped to the floor, may have blacked out and felt blows to the head and face area.
He needed 20 stitches to a wound to the lip which had left him with a scar. He also had other injuries including black eyes.
“He sustained a significant injury to the mouth,” the prosecutor said.
The defendant was arrested but made no comment in interview.
In 2009 Brooks had received a suspended sentence for biting a man’s ear.
Nick Cockrell, defending, said his client had originally been charged with ABH but admitted the wounding charge when that was put in court.
His client had neurological issues dating back to when he was 13. But for that his family believed he would not be in court.
Brooks worked as a forklift driver, was married, had two children, was full of remorse and had written a letter which he hoped would be passed on to the complainant apologising for what he had done.
“He is very sorry for his actions,” he said.
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