A man has been sent to prison for 15 months after a drunken and unprovoked attack in a Staffordshire pub left his victim with a broken jaw.
The Unprovoked Beer Garden Assault
Gary Webb, aged 38 and of no fixed address, carried out the violent assault at The Terrace Inn on Leek Road in the Stoke area. The incident occurred at around 9.45pm on 22 January last year. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard that Webb, who appeared very drunk and aggressive, punched the man once in the face while they were in the pub's beer garden.
Prosecutor Robert Holt explained that the victim, a regular at the pub, had earlier helped to calm Webb down during an argument with another patron. Despite this, Webb later approached the man as he was having a cigarette outside. "He felt sudden and immediate pain to his left jaw," Mr Holt said, describing the moment of the attack which was captured on CCTV.
Severe Injuries and Lasting Impact
The single punch caused devastating injuries. The victim suffered a complex fracture to his left jaw bone and lost a tooth. He required immediate hospital treatment, spending three days as an inpatient where surgeons fitted a plate and screws to repair the damage. He also needed stitches inside his cheek.
In a victim impact statement, the man revealed the lasting consequences of the assault. He stated he may never regain full feeling in his jaw and has been self-conscious about his appearance since losing the tooth. The incident caused him to lose weight as he struggled to eat properly, and he was off work for 14 weeks while recovering.
Sentencing and Mitigation
Webb pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm, possession of a class B drug (cannabis, found on him at arrest), and failing to attend court on 5 January. Mitigating, Matthew Ness conceded it was a "shameful incident" that was "entirely unprovoked, committed in drink."
Mr Ness told the court that Webb had a "distinctive appearance" due to a severe head injury sustained when he was run over by a taxi at age seven. He argued that Webb had been "dogged with bullying because of his appearance" throughout his life, leading him to rely on alcohol and violence. "He accepts he needs to address his drinking which has dogged his adult life," Mr Ness added.
Passing sentence, Judge Sally Hancox stated: "You drew back your right hand and punched him in the face... The victim made no aggressive move towards you whatsoever. CCTV captured you carrying out a wholly unprovoked attack." The judge emphasised the serious nature of the injuries caused before imposing the 15-month custodial sentence.
