Mansfield man dropped victim ‘like plank of wood’ after 15 pints and cocaine in Worksop pub
A Mansfield man who dropped his victim to the ground "like a plank of wood" with one punch, leaving him with devastating injuries, had consumed 15 pints and cocaine, a court has heard.
Mackenzie Smith left the Vine pub in Worksop with a group of people at 3am on December 27 last year, said Catherine Wilson, prosecuting.
When his victim told another male to leave a woman alone, because he believed his behaviour was inappropriate, Smith hit him.
“The complainant can't remember much besides being cold on a concrete floor with people screaming around him, then waking up in hospital at 8.30am with his sister," said Ms Wilson.
A witness described him dropping to the ground face first, "like a plank of wood that had been stood up," and someone screaming, "I think he is dead."
Smith claimed his victim "was starting on my mate," and told police: “It’s just a stupid town fight. This is why I don’t go out in town with the baby on the way. F*** it, I am just scared I am going to miss the scan in the morning.”
His victim was left with a fractured skull and a broken jaw in two places,
In a statement he described how his “quality of life came to a stand still” as the smallest movements aggravate his injuries, and two plates were fitted in his lower jaw.
His bottom teeth are completely misaligned making him very self-conscious and he worries long term as he might not be able to eat certain foods permanently, the court heard.
The incident left him feeling “anxious as if someone might attack him,” lost £3,500 while off work and has suffered “persistent neurological problems” since.
Ryan Higginbotham, mitigating, said Smith, who has no previous convictions, took full responsibility for the assault.
"He feels very bad about the offence and didn't try to minimise the injuries he inflicted,” he said.
“It was a brief incident which Mr Smith misread entirely. It is out of character for him to use violence in this way.”
Smith, aged 23, of Ashfield Avenue, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm when he appeared before Mansfield Magistrates Court, on June 11.
On Thursday, he received eight months, suspended for 18 Months, with 200 hours of unpaid work. He must pay £3,600 compensation.