A thug who gouged the eye of a Good Samaritan rugby fan when his victim stepped in to stop the defendant threatening his own crying partner has been jailed.
Anthony Smith, 30, was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH).
The court heard Smith’s victim David Whiteley approached the defendant on a train betweenCardiff and Bridgend on February 20 this year after Smith was shouting at and threatening his own partner.
Mr Whiteley had been to Cardiff on the day of the attack with his wife to watch the Cardiff Blues and to have a meal.
They got on the 8.15pm train from Cardiff back to their home in Pencoed, Bridgend .
When in the train carriage Mr Whiteley saw a woman, who appeared to be emotional and had her head in her hands, leave the toilet.
'You need to calm down'
Five minutes later Smith sat next to the woman and was described by Mr Whiteley as raising his voice and using an aggressive tone.
Prosecutor Byron Broadstock said: “At one point Mr Whitely saw the man put his hands around the female’s neck and was holding her. She was crying at that point.
“He then saw the male punch himself four or five times.
“At this point three women were alerted to the noises and they got up and approached the male because they were concerned about the female’s welfare.
“Mr Whiteley stood up and saw the male punching towards the female’s face but not making contact.”
The court then heard that the victim went over to Smith and said “Excuse me, you need to calm down” to which Smith responded “What the f*** has it got to do with you?” and then started shouting and lunging towards him.
Avoided arrest
Mr Whiteley pushed Smith, from Bridgend, back down into his seat and and tried to restrain him for fear that he was going to get assaulted.
Mr Broadstock added: “Mr Whiteley was wearing a large anorak which Smith grabbed, pulling Mr Whiteley towards him, and he saw Smith’s left arm come towards his face.
“He felt a sharp pain to his right eyelid and Mr Whiteley increased the pressure on Smith and took his hand away.
“Smith grabbed again and Mr Whiteley felt a thumb in his right eye socket.”
After a further scuffle Smith released Mr Whiteley when he saw two train staff and asked the victim to leave him alone.
Mr Whiteley’s eye was extremely painful and he couldn’t open it, the court heard. He and his wife then got off at their intended stop at Pencoed.
The British Transport Police were called and officers were waiting for Smith at Bridgend railway station but the defendant managed to avoid arrest by taking a taxi home to his partner’s address.
Forced to cancel holiday
He was arrested some time later and claimed he had acted in self-defence after Mr Whiteley became involved his business but he later admitted the attack.
Mr Whiteley attended the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend where he was diagnosed with conjunctivitis as well as tearing.
He also described having double vision and of difficulty in being able to see properly from his right eye.
In a victim impact statement read to the court Mr Whiteley said he was “wary” of train travel and avoids crowds as a result of the attack. He also had to cancel a holiday to Tenerife because of the pain caused to his eye.
Defence barrister Adam Sharpe, representing Smith, told the court his client had brought these matters on himself and the incident had taken place as a result of drink.
He admitted his client had problems drinking to excess but the news that his partner was expecting their first baby together had had a “sobering effect” on him.
Prior to the incident Smith had received suspended sentences for domestic assault and common assault.
Sentencing, Judge Niclas Parry said: “This was an incident of loutish and drunken behaviour on a train.”
He added: “The public don’t have to put up with behaviour such as this.
“Violence on trains in South Wales is a serious problem which must be deterred.”
Smith, of Pender, Litchard, Bridgend, was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment for the ABH offence plus a further eight months, to run consecutively, for breaching the two suspended sentences.
see-http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/violent-thug-threatened-girlfriend--11977370
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