Man who left victim unconscious during bar brawl avoids jail

Plumber with a history of violence ran off after the attack outside Perth nightspot

A man who knocked his victim out cold and left him unconscious for eight minutes during a bar brawl was allowed to walk free from court yesterday.

Plumber Martin Blyth – who has a history of violence – was ordered to carry out 225 hours community payback and placed under social work supervision.

The 25-year-old, who ran off and left his victim lying on the ground after smashing his head on the pavement, was also placed on a curfew for 19 weeks.

Blyth, who has a previous conviction for leaving another man badly injured during a “rap battle” at a taxi rank, admitted attacking and injuring Sean Townsley on April 22 last year.

He admitted assaulting Mr Townsley at That Bar in Perth by repeatedly punching him on the head, causing him to lose consciousness.

Depute fiscal John Malpass told Perth Sheriff Court that Blyth and his victim had been ejected from the bar after their rival groups had been involved in an argument.

The court was told Mr Townsley had made a comment about Blyth’s girlfriend and that Blyth had demanded an apology from him when they both ended up outside.

“They squared up to each other and the accused swung a punch at the complainer which connected with his head and caused him to fall over,” Mr Malpass said.

Mr Townsley’s fall was broken by outdoor seating and when he got back up to face Blyth again, he was punched once more in the face and fell over again.

“He caused the complainer to trip and fall to the ground, striking his head off the concrete pavement. He was in a prone position and unresponsive.

“The complainer was unconscious for eight minutes and being attended to by police officers. During that period, he wet himself as he was not in control of his functions. The accused had run off.”

Blyth, 25, Innewan Gardens, Bankfoot, was identified from CCTV footage and he was traced nearby with blood visible on his knuckle. He told police Mr Townsley had been harassing his partner.

Blyth’s lawyer told the court that Mr Townsley had made repeated sexual comments about the woman, but said his client realised he should have walked away from the situation.

Sheriff William Wood said: “Even though it was seven years ago, that previous conviction was for assault to severe injury and again you have committed a further assault to severe injury.”

Three years ago, Blyth was left scarred for life after a brawl between rival groups at the T in the Park music festival.

He was knocked to the ground, and subsequently claimed the muddy conditions had saved him from sustaining fatal injuries.

Craig Curran, 23, from Motherwell, was cleared by a jury of endangering Blyth’s life by stamping on his head during a pitch battle at the festival site.

He was left needing six metal plates in his broken jaw after being kicked unconscious and was left with a scar on his face.

Blyth, who said he had been left disfigured by the incident, said members of the other group had taken offence at a harmless joke he had made as he passed.

He told the jury: “It’s lowered my selfconfidence. I don’t like going out in town in case something happens.”

In 2011, Blyth was convicted of assault to severe injury after trading insults with another man in a “hip-hop style rap battle” at a taxi rank in Perth.

He was ordered to carry out 120 hours unpaid work.

The accused caused the complainer to trip and fall to the ground, striking his head off the concrete pavement

Martin Blyth leaves court after he admitted assault.