Woman injured after incident with binge drinker

10:40pm Tuesday 6th May 2008

A YOUNG drinker who left a woman with a badly broken leg after he punched her outside a pub has been handed a community order.

Christopher Skinner lashed out after throwing paint about outside the King and Queens pub in Highworth following a dispute with another drinker.

As a result of the assault by the 24-year-old his victim Wendy Hammond was left with a badly broken leg which needed to be operated on and a scar to her face.

A court heard how she felt physically and mentally scarred for life' and that she is not the same person she was before the attack.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how Miss Hammond had gone to the pub with her boyfriend on the night of Saturday, November 25 2006.

Skinner was also there and had been drinking when he got involved in a dispute with another man.

Mr Meeke said there had been a history between the two men who had been involved in an argument before, which was brought up again.

Mr Meeke said Skinner picked up a pot of paint that was in the pub and threw it about, catching a lot of people.

During that incident Miss Hammond intervened to try and stop what was taking place and Skinner turned and struck out at her before running off.

Mr Meeke said Skinner had pleaded guilty on the basis he did not know who he had hit and was not sure if it was even a man or woman.

Miss Hammond fell badly as a result of the assault and suffered a twisted fracture to her leg, which required surgery.

A rod had to be placed into the limb leaving a long scar on her leg and she also suffered another scar to her face.

The court heard how that scar, on her left cheek below her eye, is so bad that it cannot be masked with make up.

When Skinner was questioned , having been recognised by witnesses, he denied assaulting Miss Hammond.

He only changed his plea on the morning of trial.

Skinner, of Queens Avenue, Highworth, admitted a charge of grievous bodily harm.

Nicholas Fridd, defending, said his client had changed a great deal in the 18 months since the incident.

At the time he used to frequently go out binge drinking but now hardly goes out at all, he told the court.

He said Skinner worked for DHL, where he had been since shortly after leaving school, and had told them about the incident and court proceedings.

"This looks like a complete one off," he told the court.

Passing sentence Recorder Ian Pringle QC said: "I hope this is a salutary lesson to you that if you drink to excess and get yourself in fights not only can you be hurt but innocent people can too."

He imposed a 10-month jail term suspended for two years and ordered that he carry out 120 hours of community service and pay £500 compensation and £500 costs.

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