Glass attacker avoids jail stint

A MAN has been sentenced for his “cowardly and disgraceful” attack on an acquaintance at a New Norfolk pub, which left his victim needing glass fragments to be removed from his face in hospital.

Jason James Jackson, 24, had previously pleaded guilty to one count of wounding and was sentenced in the Supreme Court in Hobart on Monday by Acting Justice David Porter.

The court heard at about 11.45pm on March 9, 2019, both Jackson and the victim were in a hotel bar in New Norfolk.

CCTV footage showed Jackson’s victim chatting with other people in a corner of the bar, facing the corner.

Jackson approached him, tapped him on the arm and said his name before hitting him in the face with his empty beer glass.

The court heard the blow caused the glass to shatter, the impact pushed the victim towards the wall and Jackson then attempted to punch him a number of times, but was restrained by other pub patrons.

The court heard there had been a verbal altercation between the men earlier in the night at another pub, but the attack was unprovoked.

The victim was left with a cut on his lower cheek/jaw area and he had surgery the next day to remove glass fragments from his face and to stitch the wound.

Acting Justice Porter said the victim impact statement outlined the man’s consequent self-consciousness about the scar and that it was “a concern relating to future employment”.

“Drunken violence in and around licensed premises needs to be utterly condemned,” Acting Justice Porter said.

“Striking someone in the face with a glass is an act fraught with risk. It can result in severing of major blood vessels which could cause serious injury or death, or the loss of sight.

“It is most fortunate [the victim] did not suffer more serious injury.

“Your conduct was cowardly and disgraceful. Basically, you struck [the victim] from behind with little warning, giving him no real opportunity to defend himself.”

Jackson was convicted and sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment wholly suspended on the condition he not commit an offence punishable by imprisonment for two years.

He was also fined $750 and will be subject to a community corrections order for 18 months.