DRUMMER kNOCkED MAN OUT WITH POWERFUL PUNCH
A DRUMMER who had just finished a gig “poleaxed” a man to the floor with a powerful punch that knocked him unconscious for 15 minutes.
Che Jones lost his temper and hit the peacemaker who was trying to separate him and another man having an argument in Bridgend in the early hours of the morning.
Sentencing him at Cardiff Crown Court, Judge Eleri Rees said: “I have noted your stature. You are a big man, you are powerfully built, and that was a powerful punch.”
The court heard the incident happened at around 2am on February 24 in Queen Street after Jones had been playing at a nearby venue.
Tony Trigg, prosecuting, said Toma White was with a friend when he saw the defendant arguing with another man and stepped in to try to calm things down.
He told the court the men did not know each other, but Mr White saw the “pushing and shoving” and stood between the men to defuse the situation.
Mr Trigg said: “The defendant was clearly agitated. He lashed out at the victim.”
The court heard there were three blows, the first two glancing and the third hitting the complainant in the face.
Mr Trigg added: “The heavy blow landed in Mr White’s face. It poleaxed him. He was knocked out and fell on his back on the road. The defendant walked off.”
A CCTV operator called the police and Jones was arrested nearby.
He was found to have blood on his hand, especially around a ring he was wearing.
Prosecutors said he tried to claim he was acting in self-defence until he was shown footage of the incident and then apologised, accepting he was angry and upset at the time.
Mr Trigg said: “It is lucky the victim did not suffer more grievous injury.”
The court heard the victim was unconscious for about 15 minutes and was taken to A&E. He suffered a cracked tooth, cut lip and bruising to the back of his head.
Prosecutors said Jones had a conviction for possessing an offensive weapon in 2013.
The 40-year-old, from Lewis Avenue in Bridgend, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Robert Newton, from the Probation Service, said he lives with his wife and has two children.
He told the court the drummer had been playing at a venue near Queen Street and became jealous when he saw a man approaching his wife.
The court heard he had been drinking on the night of the assault and wanted to apologise to the victim.
Judge Rees told Jones he was lucky not to be facing a manslaughter charge as the court has dealt with cases in which a victim has died as a result of a single punch.
She added: “Mr White was acting as a peacemaker. He offered you no provocation. There was no excuse for lashing out at him.”
Jones was given an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to complete 10 days of a rehabilitation activity plus 180 hours of unpaid work.
He must comply with a 12-week curfew between 8pm-6am from Friday to Sunday. He was ordered to pay £750 in compensation to the victim and £340 towards prosecution costs.