Macclesfield Express

Thug broke man’s jaw with a brutal punch

- KAREN BRITTON

ATHUG broke a man’s jaw and left him suffering pain every day after throwing a brutal punch in an unprovoked attack.

Aaron Walsh, 24, was caught on CCTV at Rumba bar in Macclesfie­ld delivering the vicious blow to victim Joshua Weston who was with his girlfiend on a night out, a court heard.

The court heard Mr Weston remembered little of the incident, except he and Walsh were chatting in the bar and they spoke about boxing before he woke up on the floor after being punched in the face.

Walsh, of Field Close, Bollington, and his friend sat down and carried on smoking in the smoking area while others help the victim to his feet.

Mr Weston suffered a broken jaw and devastatin­g lasting effects. In a statement read to Chester Crown court he said he struggles to sleep and suffers pain when he eats. He even said he and his girlfriend are moving out of Macclesfie­ld as they are too scared to go out.

Judge Recorder Eric Lamb said the attack had a ‘disastrous’ effect on Mr Weston, but stopped short of sending Walsh to prison after reading a pre-sentence report by probation which detailed his personal circumstan­ces. He gave him a six month suspended prison sentence.

Prosecutin­g, Peter Hussey said: “Mr Weston recalls speaking to some lads who he didn’t know and thought this chap was pretty friendly and they had a conversati­on about boxing, then he was punched on the jaw and knocked out. His tooth was chipped and he had a fractured jaw which had to be operated on.”

In a statement from the victim read in court he said: “I’m suffering anxiety which I’ve never had before. I’m scared to go out and my girlfriend doesn’t feel safe after witnessing the attack. We’ve decided to move out of Macclesfie­ld. I’m experienci­ng shooting pains in my face and my chipped tooth can’t be mended. I can’t sleep and when eating I feel gristle in my jaw.”

The hearing was told that on the same night, Walsh, assaulted another victim in a takeaway on Mill Street. He approached the man and grabbed his burger before throwing it back in his face. Walsh pleaded guilty to committing grievous bodily harm and assault on October 22, 2016.

Recorder Lamb said it went in his favour that he made full admissions to police, but said: “It was an unprovoked attack and the consequenc­es for Mr Weston have been disastrous.”

Walsh was given a 35 day Rehabilita­tion Activity Requiremen­t and was ordered to pay Mr Weston £600.

 ??  ?? The Bluedot Festival takes place this weekend
The Bluedot Festival takes place this weekend
 ??  ?? Aaron Walsh
Aaron Walsh

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