A FORMER nightclub boss has been jailed after he hurled a glass at a man’s head in an "astonishingly dangerous" unprovoked attack at a Christmas party.

Jason Ranford threw the object at his victim, with whom he had a “grudge”, leaving him with a “nasty” cut to the back of the head.

He had been trying to get the victim to start a fight with him, Swindon Crown Court heard on Wednesday, and the incident, in an unnamed Swindon hotel bar on December 23 last year, meant the victim couldn’t spend Christmas with his family.

It was said the 35-year-old “put his desire to have it out with the victim above the safety of everyone else in the bar”, showing “a high degree of selfishness”.

Recorder David Chidgey jailed him for a total of 38 weeks, labelling the man who formerly ran the Brunel Rooms as “a risk to the public, especially when in drink”.

Earlier, prosecutor Tom Wright had told the court how Ranford, of Hinton Parva Lane, had known the victim, who was trying to avoid him, through work.

In CCTV footage shown to the court, Ranford can be seen “butting in” to a conversation the victim is having at the bar, before a scuffle ensues shortly before 11pm. As others try to split the pair up, Ranford moves around to the other side of the bar and throws the glass at his head.

Summarising a statement from the victim, Mr Wright continued: “He says that the timing was disastrous, it happened just before Christmas and meant he couldn’t spend Christmas with his family.

“That hit him particularly hard with the context of the last couple of years.

“He talks about the effect upon him and talks about what would have happened if it hit him square in the face,” he continued, adding that it has dented his confidence.

Mr Wright added that the offence took place whilst Ranford was subject to a suspended sentence, having been convicted of battery in an “altercation with a taxi driver which turned violent” in 2020. It was heard it occurred after Ranford had drunk between five and 15 vodka red bulls, and that the taxi driver was 63.

In mitigation, Emma Handslip said that the altercation happened in the “heat of the moment”.

But, she claimed that Ranford, who appeared before the court via video link from HMP Bullingdon, had been making “good progress” on the suspended sentence order, and said prison time would have a “significant impact on others”.

She cited his business – J Ranford Transport Ltd - which employs 13 others, as well as his commitment to his family.

Referring to his previous suspended sentence, Recorder Chidgey said: “You were fortunate to be given an opportunity by the court. I have no doubt that was due to the fact you had a family to support and business to run.

“It will have been spelled out to you that you must be of good behaviour, otherwise the court would activate the suspended sentence.”

He labelled the current incident, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, “an increase on the seriousness”.

“Doing it in a bar was an astonishingly dangerous thing to do,” Recorder Chidgey continued.

“Very serious injuries could have been caused to a bystander, I have no doubt that evening was changed for many people in that bar.

“The incident has had an unpleasant effect on the victim. He did nothing to deserve it.

“Suspended sentences need to mean something. If you can’t control your emotions when drinking, you shouldn’t have drunk alcohol.”

Recorder Chidgey jailed Ranford for 38 weeks – 34 weeks for ABH and adding an extra four weeks for breaching the suspended sentence.