Doorman left victim deaf in one ear
ADOORMAN who left a man deaf in one ear after an assault outside a nightclub has avoided jail.
Steven Young, of Harwood Bar Caravan Park, Great Harwood, was handed a 12-month prison sentence, sus- pended for two years, after pleading guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm.
The court heard that victim Dean Tomlinson was knocked unconscious in the attack, which occurred outside the H20 nightclub in Accrington in November 2015, and left with long-term ‘facial paralysis’ and ‘profound hearing loss’.
Preston Crown Court heard that Young, 39, admitted ‘throwing Mr Tomlinson to the floor’ and causing his injuries, while working as a member of security staff at the nightclub.
But the court was told Young was acting in ‘excessive self defence’ after he tried to stop a ‘drunk’ Mr Tomlinson reentering the club, and Mr Tomlinson ‘lunged’ at him.
Prosecutor Jane Dagnall said: “Mr Young says ‘I accept I grabbed him and threw him to the floor, I accept that I went too far in defending myself and I am very sorry for what I have done’.
“Very sadly Mr Tomlinson sustained significant serious injuries in this. He received a broken left col- lar bone and broken left temporal bone over the ear and has profound loss of hearing as a consequence.
“A doctor confirmed that Mr Tomlinson had a complete paralysis in the left side of his face. His face has an appearance of being dropped and he has a box fitted in the side of his skull to assist with his hearing.”
The court heard that Mr Tomlinson had completed a five year apprenticeship to become as a machinist but his injuries prevented him continuing this and he was moved into office work. In a victim impact statement read out in court, Mr Tomlinson stated that after the incident he ‘couldn’t smile’ and that he ‘didn’t feel he could ever go out again’.
Alexander Rostron, defending, told the court that by his guilty plea, Young, who also works in the waste department for the local authority, had now lost his dream of joining the fire service.
Mr Rostron said: “He felt he was cornered by a man who was taller and bigger than him.
“He is regretful and remorseful that his actions led to the serious injuries to Mr Tomlinson. Through me he apologises for going too far in this circumstance.”