Identical twin scarred in mistaken identity attack
AN IDENTICAL twin was left scarred for life after being mistaken for his lookalike brother and punched in the face in a pub attack.
Carpenter Tiela Hughes, 23, had been the spitting image of his twin all his life until he was attacked by a bungling thug.
Tiela was enjoying a quiet evening at a bar when he was punched in the face in the unprovoked mistaken identity attack.
Stunned Tiela was left covered in blood when his lip was split open in the toilet attack by Macauley Cooke, 25.
Cooke told police he had mistaken Tiela for his twin brother Kayjay, who used to date his sister.
The twins are identitical – apart from the scar on Tiela’s lip as a result of the incident.
Tiela said: “All of a sudden he punched me and spun me around. Nothing was said at all and I didn’t really realise what had happened. I didn’t retaliate at all.
“He scarpered out of the room but the bouncers found out.”
Tiela’s lip was split open and swelled to twice its usual size. His teeth needed to be wired together after the attack and he was left needing multiple dentist appointments.
Cooke was handed a suspended sentence at Cardiff Crown Court last month following the attack in December 2018.
Tiela said: “It has taken a year-anda-half for him to finally be sentenced and that has been stressful. I don’t think he was given much of a sentence and that doesn’t really send out the right message to warn against onepunch attacks.
“The attack ruined Christmastime for me and my dinner had to be mashed up. It also made me worried about going to places with a lot of people.”
Tiela and brother Kayjay had no idea Cooke had claimed mistaken identity until the court case took place.
Tiela said: “My brother used to date Cooke’s sister but they ended on good terms and everything was fine. We don’t know why he would want to hurt either of us because there were no issues there.”
Dad-of-two Cooke had spotted innocent Tiela at the Cwtch bar in Caerphilly.
Jenny Yeo, prosecuting, said: “The blow caused the victim to spin around and face the wall. He punched what he thought was the complainant’s twin brother.”
The court heard his teeth were wired as a result of the assault and he had to wear dental braces for six months.
Ms Yeo said: “He has been left scarred for life after his lip was split by the single punch.”
Cooke, of Caerphilly, pleaded guilty to wounding and attended anger management courses following the attack.
Judge Daniel Williams handed him a one-year suspended jail sentence.
He said: “Without warning and still less provocation, you punched your victim, causing him an injury to his lip and he had to have his teeth wired. It was a mindless punch.”
Cooke was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and complete a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement. He must also pay Mr Hughes £1,600 in compensation.
Tiela added: “I want others to know the dangers of one-punch attacks and the damage they can do.”