Man struck his ex-partner’s friend in the face with a glass at a South Shields bar
A man struck his ex-partner’s friend in the face with a glass he had used to pour a drink over her during an unprovoked attack in a South Tyneside bar, a court heard.
Eddie Kenrick, 22, left the woman with bruising following the incident in the Life of Riley in central South Shields on Monday, July 15, 2024.
She believed Kenrick, of Sinclair Meadows, near Laygate, South Shields, also punched her and told police he certainly pushed her minutes later after she left the bar.
His victim was standing with his former girlfriend, and both had spotted him looking towards them moments before the incident started, prosecutor John Garside said.
Kenrick denied a charge of common assault but was found guilty after a trial last October at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court.
His sentencing was delayed while he appeared at Newcastle Crown Court on Thursday, February 26 of this year, for an offence of causing grievous bodily harm.
At that hearing, he was jailed for eight months, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to stay off alcohol for 120 days.
Mr Garside told his magistrates' court sentencing hearing: “The complainant states that she was in the Life of Riley public house with friends on a night out.
“She was on the top of the steps at the entrance and talking to her friend Jessica when it was pointed out that Jessica’s ex-partner, the defendant, was there.
“There was a large crowd of people coming up from the basement and the defendant was looking over for a few minutes and he then came over.
“He got in her face and poured a drink over the complainant, and she was struck on her right jawbone by the glass.
“She has said, ‘He made to reach me again, I think that he punched me again’. She noticed an hour later that her cheek was bruised.
“The bouncers removed him from the premises. They walked towards another bar outside, where the defendant was and there was an argument taking place.
“She states that she was pushed by the defendant, who had taken his top off. He made contact with her cheek.”
David Forrester, defending, told magistrates his mitigation was limited due to Kenrick having been found guilty at trial.
Mr Forrester added: “The magistrates convicted and indicated that they were looking at a low-level community sentence.
“I don’t intend to go into the circumstances much beyond that. Sentencing was put off until after Newcastle Crown Court, a more serious section 20 assault.
“He wasn’t sure – we weren’t sure – if he was going to be sent to prison for that. The judge has looked at it and he’s imposed alcohol abstinence.
“The appropriate way is to punish him financially. He’s got a new job since the crown court case.
“He has eight months hanging over him for 18 months and has to stay sober for 120 days.”
Magistrates fined Kenrick £750, with £620 court costs and a £300 victim surcharge, and ordered him to pay his victim £50 compensation.
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