A FORMER court security guard repeatedly punched a man in front of the victim's one-year-old child and caused him serious facial injuries which will leave a scar.

Luke Timms, of Stockton Road, Abberley, but formerly of Woodhouse Close, Worcester, was sentenced to a 24 month community order at Gloucester Crown Court on Wednesday.

The 31-year-old must complete 240 hours of unpaid work for assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The father-of-three carried out the attack in Barbourne Road, Worcester, on October 13, 2022.

The case had been transferred to Gloucester because Timms was 'well known to Worcester Crown Court.'

The court heard yesterday (April 10) that Timms attacked Mr O'Donnell after the two men had been involved in a Facebook exchange over whether Mr O'Donnell was in a relationship with Timms' ex-girlfriend.

Recorder Eleanor Hourigan told him: "You approached the victim while he was at a bus stop with his young child.  You punched him twice and pulled his body warmer over his head while you punched him repeatedly to the head.

"Given your profession at the time you knew what you were doing and you should have known better.

"The impact on Mr O'Donnell is clear. He must have been frightened by your actions - as must almost anyone who was watching, including his young child.

"He was left with a serious injury to his forehead which left a scar.

"The assault lasted just short of ten seconds but involved more than a handful of blows."

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The Recorder said she took into account that Timms had admitted the offence and that it had cost him his job and his career.

She also took into consideration that he supports his three children and that they would suffer if he was imprisoned, she said.

Recorder Hourigan said she had considered ordering Timms to pay compensation to Mr O'Donnell but accepted that he had 'little wiggle room' financially and it would be unrealistic to do so as it would place an 'unendurable burden' on him.

She also felt that imposing a restraining order on Timms was not necessary, she added.

Timms' barrister, Jason Patel, had earlier told the judge that he had had to pay 'the best part of £7,000' towards his defence costs.

"He has already been punished since this offence by the loss of his work - although, of course, that is of his own making," he said.

Prosecutor Meagh McGee had told the court that the assault occurred the day after Timms and Mr O'Donnell had been in contact on Facebook on October 12, 2022. The messages from Timms had been 'abusive in nature'.

The next day Mr O'Donnell and his former partner were at a bus stop in Barbourne Road with their one-year-old child when Timms walked up to them, said the prosecutor.

Timms began shouting about the messages between them and the issues aired on Facebook.

Timms lashed out with two blows which knocked Mr O'Donnell into the bus stop and then pulled his gilet over his face and allegedly kneed him to his lip, causing him to taste blood.

In the process of pulling his gilet back down so he could see, Mr O'Donnell felt a blow to his forehead which caused a deep laceration.

A woman who was with Timms shouted 'That's enough" and the attack ended with Timms leaving the scene.

Timms entered his guilty plea at Gloucester Crown Court on Thursday, February 22, moments before a jury was due to be chosen for what was expected to be a two-day trial.