Telford man, 21, gets suspended jail term over nightclub bottle attack
A thug who was caught on CCTV smashing a bottle over a man's head at a Telford nightclub has been given "one last chance" by a judge.
Images of Joshua Taylor striking Phillip Wilkes and later kicking or kneeing him in the face were shown at Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday.
The assault took place during a mass brawl in the nightclub in Donnington in February last year, the court was told.
Mr Wilkes suffered a broken jaw following the brawl and ended up with a three millimetre laceration to the back of his head following Taylor's attack.
Taylor, 21, of Baldwin Webb Avenue, Donnington, Telford, admitted a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
But Judge Peter Barrie said he would give Taylor one final chance before sending him to prison. He sentenced Taylor to a six-month prison sentence suspended for 12 months and 120 hours of community service,
Taylor was also ordered to pay £500 compensation to Mr Wilkes, £200 to the crown prosecution service and to undertake 10 sessions of a violence-reduction programme.
Mr Kevin Jones, prosecuting, said: "Mr Wilkes was at the nightclub in Donnington on a work's evening.
"At about 11.30pm there was a coming together at the bar between two people who were not connected to this particular incident.
"The CCTV shows the defendant take a glass bottle out of his pocket and strike the victim on the back of the head.
"He later kicks out at him and then the victim is knocked to the floor with a broken jaw by another man."
Mrs Debra White, for Taylor, said: "He has turned his life around and deeply regrets his actions in February last year. He has found employment and maintained it."
Judge Barrie it was clear from the CCTV footage the brawl had broken out before Taylor had got involved.
He said: "It was a close run thing how to deal with you but I have decided to give you one last chance."
