‘Yob’ glassed man in pub after pool shot comment
VICTIM THOUGHT PAIR WERE ‘HAVING FUN’ BEFORE ATTACK
A Bad-tempered pool player “saw red” and angrily glassed another pub customer after taking offence at being complimented on a good shot.
Hot-headed Peter Tomlinson behaved like a “common yob” when he suddenly put down his pool cue, grabbed a pint glass and shoved it in the other man’s face.
The shocked victim thought that they were “having fun” and that Tomlinson was just “joking around” but he could have lost an eye, Hull Crown Court heard.
Tomlinson, 46, of Saunders Croft, Walkington, admitted wounding the man on October 17 last year.
Cathy Kioko-gilligan, prosecuting, said that Tomlinson was playing pool at the Bay Horse pub in Cherry
Burton when a nearby customer complimented him on a shot.
Tomlinson reacted badly and asked him: “What are you saying?”
The pubgoer thought that Tomlinson was being humorous but could not see his expression because of a face mask.
Tomlinson took off the mask and it was obvious that he was angry at the comment.
He put his pool cue down, picked up an empty pint glass and hit the man in the face with it. The victim took hold of Tomlinson around his waist and continued to hold onto him until others intervened.
The man suffered a cut near his eyebrow and a black eye. The injury was treated, but he had been left with a scar.
The victim later said: “I thought we were having fun. Given that he was wearing a face mask, I was unable to read his facial expressions.
“I thought he was joking around. I didn’t have time to react and defend myself.
“I feel that I have been very fortunate to have been left with a scar.”
Quentin Hunt, mitigating, said that Tomlinson wanted to apologise to the victim and the people in the pub at the time.
He realised the damage that his behaviour had done.
“He is deeply ashamed,” said Mr Hunt. “He offers no excuse for his behaviour. He accepts responsibility and he apologises.
“He does not have a good recollection of the incident itself.”
Tomlinson acted out of character and had no previous convictions. He was “shocked and appalled”.
Father-of-two Tomlinson was under a great deal of stress at the time and was worried about the effects of Covid-19 on his work as a contractor.
“It all got on top of him,” said Mr Hunt. “He acted in a disgraceful way on that occasion.”
Judge David Tremberg told Tomlinson: “You behaved like a common yob. You were in drink, playing pool.
“The complainant was sitting nearby and complimented you on your shot.
“What followed was entirely unprovoked.”
Tomlinson wrongly thought that the man made “some adverse comment” to him but, even if he had, it would not have justified Tomlinson’s actions.
The victim suffered a “nasty wound” above his eye which bled profusely.
“It was a matter of pure chance that you didn’t cause even more serious injury,” said Judge Tremberg.
“You could have had this chap’s eye out.
“In the heat of the moment, you saw red in this unpleasant, short-lived loss of control, which I accept was out of character.’
Tomlinson was given a nine-month suspended prison sentence, 15 days’ rehabilitation and was ordered to pay £1,000 compensation and £1,500 costs.