‘YOU COULD HAVE BEEN UP FOR MURDER’
Pub-goer attacked man with a metal pole
THUG Jamie Walley used a metal pole to batter a man over the head in a revenge attack after he was thrown out of a pub.
The 27-year-old was ejected from Old Sal, in Longton, after becoming embroiled in a confrontation.
Once outside, he hurled a cigarette bin and a bottle in the direction of the landlord and his friend.
He left, but later returned with the makeshift weapon – which he then used to hit one of the men.
Stoke-on-trent Crown Court heard the victim needed eight stitches to a head wound.
Now Walley has been jailed for five years while his co-accused Brent Cotterill – who threw punches inside the pub – was handed a suspended jail sentence
Prosecutor Rupert Jones said Walley and 29-year-old Cotterill went to the Old Sal in Heathcote Street at 11.30pm on September 2 last year.
The landlord told them the part of the pub they were in was closed as it was being used for a private function.
The pair told him they just wanted a quick drink and would not cause any trouble. They were allowed to stay, but became abusive to somebody at the party.
Mr Jones said: “Walley squared up to the landlord’s friend and one of the defendants punched the landlord. He grabbed Walley and ejected him.
“Once outside, Walley became abusive. He said he would burn down the landlord’s parents’ home.
“The landlord’s friend was also outside. Walley picked up a metal bin used for cigarettes. The landlord’s friend told him to put it down. He threw it. It missed the man but it made contact with the landlord, causing cigarette ash to go in his eyes.”
Mr Jones said Walley threw a bottle towards the landlord’s friend, but it missed. He punched him twice to the head before running away.
He added: “Cotterill was seen on CCTV throwing a number of punches at others inside the pub before he left.
“The landlord’s friend returned inside the pub and the door was locked.
“Walley returned with a metal pole and hit the pub door, causing damage. He forced the door open and used the pole to hit the landlord’s friend on his head, causing a cut to the top of the head which needed eight stitches at hospital.”
Walley, of Blurton Road, Heron Cross, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and criminal damage. Cotterill, of Anchor Road, Longton, pleaded guilty to affray.
Jason Holt, mitigating for Walley, said: “He accepts what he did was wrong. It is no excuse, but it is where he was at that time. It was a single blow with the pole. Once the blow was struck, he left immediately.”
Cotterill, representing himself, said: “I had a drink. I fell out with the girlfriend. I ended up going up the pub. I threw two punches in the pub. It was a stupid mistake.”
Recorder Baz Bhatia told Walley: “You have a number of offences which show you can lose your temper. “You went away and armed yourself with an iron bar and went back and confronted the victim and hit him. It was quite a nasty cut. If he had a soft skull, you could have killed him and been up for murder.” The judge sentenced Cotterill to 10 months in jail, suspended for two years, with 150 hours’ unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity requirement for 20 days.