AN electrician, who broke the nose of a former schoolmate, has been spared a jail sentence, but ordered to keep out of all licensed premises for six months.
Craig Donnelly head-butted Andrew Kendall in the face after a history of animosity between them, Worcester Crown Court heard. The attack happened in Bromsgrove town centre as Mr Kendall and his girlfriend Kate Gower waited for a taxi. A jury convicted Donnelly, of Hinton Fields, Bournheath, Bromsgrove, at the end of a trial last month. Judge Daniel Pearce-Higgins ordered the 27-year-old to pay the victim £750 compensation.
He was also given a nine-month community order with 125 hours of unpaid work and the pub and club ban. Judge Daniel Pearce-Higgins QC had warned that Donnelly was at risk of prison, but said it was an alcohol-fuelled spur of the moment assault. However, the judge said, after hearing of a previous conviction for threatening behaviour, that if the defendant continued such behaviour he would end up in jail. The men had been at school together but were not close friends, said prosecutor Michael Aspinall. Defence counsel Jason Aris said Donnelly was a conscientious worker who hoped to start his own business. He was remorseful about the attack and accepted alcohol played a role.
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