Man accidentally assaulted girlfriend during brawl in busy Mansfield bar

Jake Jamal Mercer was in the Rush in Clumber Street on June 23 hast year, along with his younger brother Troy Faizal Bukenya, when the incident happened.

Mansfield Magistrates’ Court heard on Friday, January 17, that the brothers had been playing pool with some other men earlier in the night and some sort of dispute had erupted about the game.

Prosecuting, Marianne Connally said that video evidence showed that the other men had initiated the altercation after they all saw each other again later - with one of them headbutting Bukenya.

Mercer then became involved and started swinging punches, knocking his partner to the ground in the process.

“There had been some disagreement over a game of pool earlier in the evening, and the incident was started by another man who headbutted Mr Bukenya,” she said.

Mercer, 24, and now of Whitcome Gardens, Nottingham, admitted assault and threatening behaviour.

Bukenya, 20, currently on remand at HMP Nottingham in relation to other matters, admitted threatening behaviour.

Representing both men, Paul Wright, speaking about Mercer, said: “He was defending his brother but he has gone too far.

He said that he works away a lot and was not suitable for intervention from the probation service.

Video footage played to the court showed the headbutt, followed by a sustained brawl in the town centre bar, followed by the woman falling over.

Mercer’s girlfriend also sent a message to the court, saying that they were in a stable and happy relationship, now lived together and she did not want him punished for the assault.

Bukenya was jailed for 12 weeks for the offence and ordered to pay a £92 victim surcharge on his release from custody.

Mercer was given a 16-week prison term suspended for 12 months and ordered him to pay £85 in prosecution costs and a £122 victim surcharge.

Magistrates told him that the only reason he hadn’t been jailed was because of his work commitments.