Drunken reveller narrowly avoids jail after breaking man's cheek in four places in Hartlepool town centre assault

Bobby Carter, 20, joined in an ugly incident of violence after an argument between his friend and two other men in Victoria Road in the early hours of the morning last December.

CCTV showed Carter strutting around ‘like a cock pheasant’ before punching his victim to the ground knocking him unconscious.

The man later required surgery to have a metal plate inserted in his jaw.

Carter was just spared immediate jail after he pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm and was sentenced at Teesside Crown Court.

Porsecutor Phillip Morley described how Carter’s friend threw punches at the victim’s friend who crossed the road.

Carter and his friend followed when Carter got involved.

Mr Morley said: “He then swings a hook at [the victim] which strikes him and knocks him off his feet on to the floor knocking him momentarily unconscious.

"He suffered injuries; four breaks to the cheek bone and a fracture to the jaw.”

In an impact statement, the victim said the incident had been ‘nothing short of a nightmare’.

He said he was embarrassed to be photographed on his birthday a few days after the attack because of his injuries.

He added his children were left scared by his appearance and did not want him to read their bedtime stories.

When quizzed by police Carter, who had been drinking, said he had little memory of the argument but had ‘punched a lad twice’.

Martin Scarborough, defending, said it was very much out of character as he had no previous criminal record or cautions.

"He very much regretted his actions,” he said. “He was genuinely remorseful and wishes to apologise to [the man he attacked].”

Judge Jonathan Carroll remanded Carter in custody overnight before deciding to suspend a 10-month prison sentence for two years.

Judge Carroll said: “You were strutting around like some sort of cock pheasant, sticking out your chest, getting in people’s faces and trying to push them around the street.

"Street violence in drink in town and city centres makes everybody less safe.”

Carter, of Fieldfare Road, Hartlepool, was also ordered to pay £1,000 compensation to his vi and do 200 hours of unpaid work for the community.

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