Former Shropshire licensee jailed after glass attack leaves victim scarred for life

Jonathan Taylor, 42, was convicted of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm following a short trial.

Judge Robin Onions told that Taylor he only had himself to blame for the position he was in.

He sentenced Taylor following his conviction at Shrewsbury Crown Court.

Judge Onions told him: "This is a difficult day for you and your family. You are hard working and have built a successful business, but you have brought this on yourself.

He said that Taylor had been under the influence of drink and only he knew why he had attacked Daniel Wood leaving the victim scarred for life.

Judge Onions said that he accepted Taylor's remorse was genuine.

But the court heard that CCTV footage of the incident showed Mr Wood had shown no aggression.

The crown court jury rejected the defendant's self-defence claim and found him guilty.

Taylor, a father-of-two, of The Croft, Market Drayton, had denied wounding Mr Wood with intent to cause him serious harm at the Sambrook Vaults in Market Drayton on December 20 last year.

The jury were shown CCTV footage from the crowded pub in which Mr Wood is seen being struck in the face with a glass and being knocked over a table.

Mr Wood, 27, who has been left with a large scar on his left cheek, told the court he had been drunk having been to a work Christmas party at Bletchley near Tern Hill.

He said he and some friends later went to the Sambrook Vaults, but said he remembered little about the incident.

"I remember my head going back and being dragged out of the pub and next thing I was in the ambulance going to hospital," he said.

Taylor, said to have drunk at least eight pints and a Southern Comfort, claimed he had acted in self-defence.

He told the court he though he was about to be attacked by Mr Wood and had thrown a punch at him.

He said it was a split second decision and he was not thinking about having the glass in his hand.