Mansfield man who broke enemy’s tooth was told by his victim: ‘You punch like a p****’
A Mansfield man who broke his enemy’s tooth when he struck him at a football match was told by his victim: “You punch like a p****,” a court heard.
Jalna Tagg spotted his victim in the carpark of the Garibaldi School and said “It’s that f****** t***,” on October 17, 2024, said Becky Allsop, prosecuting.
Tagg asked him: “Why did you say I took drugs?” before breaking the man’s front tooth and knocking him to the floor.
His victim followed Tagg across the car park until his friends pulled him away.
The court heard he struggled to afford the £650 dental bill and had to borrow cash from his mum before taking out a loan.
He was left “upset, fearful and angry,” suffered mood swings, and said his young children were concerned and worried about him.
His injury prevented him from going out for a month, left him in pain at mealtimes, and he said the repair undid previous dental work.
Tagg was offered a conditional caution by police if he paid his victim’s dental bill but he couldn’t afford it.
The 40-year-old, of Cavendish Street, Mansfield, denied assault occasioning actual bodily harm, but was found guilty after a trial at Mansfield Magistrates Court on June 19.
Jim Buckley, mitigating, said the offence was out of character, there was some provocation, and he immediately walked away while his victim had to be restrained.
“It was an impulsive, shortlived assault,” he said, adding that Tagg, who works full-time, had stayed out of trouble for 15-20 years before a more recent conviction for a dissimilar offence.
On Thursday, August 20, he received a 12-month community order with 150 hours of unpaid work. He must pay £1,650 compensation, a £114 surcharge, and £620 costs.