Let's call time on the boozy thugs (From Swindon Advertiser)

Let's call time on the boozy thugs

8:47am Saturday 5th April 2008 in News

A CROWN Court judge has blasted the level of drunken violence in Swindon after sentencing a 21-year-old man for glassing a man in a bar.

Judge Douglas Field was speaking after handing James Gaff an eight-month suspended prison term and 200 hours of community service for attacking Daniel Timms with a glass at Jax Bar in West Swindon on December 28.

Gaff, of Bloomsbury Close, Freshbrook, had pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm.

Judge Field said he was fed up with having to deal with such cases after presiding over a number of similar prosecutions in recent months.

"This is yet another example of a drunken altercation in licensed premises and the public and the courts are totally fed up with this behaviour," said Judge Field at Swindon Crown Court.

"It involved heavy drinking and then followed up by mindless violence. The aggravating feature here is that you had a glass in your hand.

"It is only by good luck that you didn't cause serious injuries to your victim."

In March, Judge Field jailed Jacho Pawlowski for 10 months for glassing a fellow Pole at the Big Fish Club in April last year.

He said at the time: "These sorts of incidents are totally unacceptable and an immediate custodial sentence must be passed."

And in January, he jailed three youths for attacking a man after they had been binge drinking.

The judge's recent comments were greeted with caution by Chief Superintendent Paul Howlett of Wiltshire Police.

He said: "While acknowledging the judge's concerns it must be remembered that Wiltshire and Swindon are amongst the safest places in England and Wales.

"At the same time I do share the judge's concerns regarding alcohol-related violence.

"The irresponsible sale and consumption of alcohol is an issue that must concern us all, including the Community Safety Partnership and licensees.

"I am very keen to work with licensees to minimise the risk of alcohol related violence.

"We are keen to work with Swindon Borough Council in promoting the responsible sale and consumption of alcohol."

Lionel Starling, head of licensing at Swindon Borough Council, said Swindon was not a hotspot for alcohol-related trouble when compared to other towns and cities.

"Incidents of this kind inside licensed premises are quite rare," Mr Starling said.

"The number of incidents of that kind in Swindon is lower than the national average.

"Of course we are trying to reduce it to nil.

"We are not saying there are no problems - there clearly are - but if you model our situation against elsewhere there is no particular problem."

But councillor Derique Montaut (Lab, Central) agreed with Judge Field's frustrations.

He said: "The police have an impossible job of enforcement.

"There needs to be a change of culture.

"The current situation is unacceptable."

Judge Field's comments came just 10 days after magistrates closed Angelo's nightclub for three months after a string of problems.

The club, branded the most dysfunctional in Britain, will have strict conditions on its licence when it reopens.