A JUDGE condemned late-night violence on Worcester’s streets as he sent a former financial adviser to jail for a joint attack on an innocent man.
Jason Dyke grabbed Adam Titmus by the throat and smashed his head four times against a restaurant window.
He also punched the victim in the jaw before he was set upon by window fitter Joe Harvey-Pugh.
Dyke struck a man who tried to intervene on the nose and Harvey-Pugh made threats against police before he was arrested in Angel Place, Worcester Crown Court was told.
Mr Titmus suffered a double jaw fracture and spent two days in hospital. Judge John Cavell said the public were “outraged and concerned” by street attacks and said: “Late night drunken violence is all too typical in Worcester and other cities.
“It is entirely unprovoked and drunkeness is no excuse. The courts take a very dim view of such offences.”
He sentenced Dyke, aged 22, of Valley View, Droitwich, and 20-year-old Harvey-Pugh, of Little Hill Court, Droitwich, to nine months custody each.
They pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm on March 21 this year. Mr Titmus and his friends left a club at 2.40am and were walking home when Dyke shoulder-barged the victim without provocation, said Peter Parson, prosecuting.
Dyke began shouting and, when Mr Titmus remonstrated with him, his head was battered against Angel Chef’s window.
Harvey-Pugh verbally abused police called to the scene, threatening to “smash the face in” of one officer before he was arrested.
Both attackers admitted they were drunk.
Harvey-Pugh had a record for possession of weapons in a public place and disorderly behaviour. Dyke, who had a conviction for drink-driving, had lost his job as a financial adviser because of his behaviour and now worked in a warehouse, said his barrister Andrew Wilkins.
This incident had so upset his family that he left home for a time but they were now reconciled.
Mr Wilkins said: “This was a nasty, drunken and yobbish incident. He feels terrible about the victim.”
Defending Harvey-Pugh, Sharonjit Bahia said that he had alcohol problems, which were exacerbated by his sister’s suicide.
She said: “He drunkenly got involved when he mistakenly believed his friend was in trouble.”
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