Attack on driver over death crash
AMAN broke the jaw of the driver responsible for the death of his brother in a car crash, a court has heard.
Sam Walton was with family members in a pub marking the 10th anniversary of the fatal smash when he saw the driver – and punched him in the face.
Leslie Sutton suffered a double fracture to the jaw in the attack, and needed three titanium plates fitted.
Swansea Crown Court heard it had been a “highly emotionally charged” evening, and 26-year-old Walton regretted what he had done.
Hannah George, prosecuting, said Walton was in the Coasting Pilot Hotel in Burry Port on the evening of November 4 last year with members of his family. It was the 10th anniversary of Walton’s brother’s death.
The barrister said Mr Sutton was also out that night, and a friend asked him to go to the Coasting Pilot.
The court heard Mr Sutton knew the family had been at the pub earlier that night and called another friend to see if they were still there – but Walton answered the phone.
Moments later the pair met outside the pub, and Walton delivered a “forceful punch” to his victim’s chin, knocking the him to the floor.
The defendant returned to the pub, and Mr Sutton walked home before taking a taxi to Glangwili Hospital where X-rays showed he had a double fracture of the jaw.
Mr Sutton was transferred to Morriston Hospital where he underwent surgery to have three titanium plates inserted in his jaw.
The court heard police went to Walton’s house on November 6 and, upon being told why they were there, the defendant appeared “visibly upset” and said he had done it.
In an impact statement read to the court, the victim said he wanted to “move on” from the incident, and did not want to see his attacker going to prison because he has two young children. He added that both he and Walton “know time is short”.
Walton, of Parkes Street, Burry Port, Carmarthenshire had previously pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm when he appeared in the dock for sentencing.
Ian Ibrahim, for Walton, said the incident had been out of character for his client, and “every day since it happened he has regretted it”.
He said the anniversary of the death was a “highly emotionally charged situation”, and his client had done “something very, very stupid that night”.
He added: “What is in the past is in the past, and cannot be undone.”
Judge Keith Thomas said being mindful of the sentencing guidelines, the contents of a pre-sentence report into the defendant, and the positive character references he had read, he was properly able to suspend the sentence.
Walton was sentenced to 12 months in prison suspended for 18 months, and was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work in the community.
He was also ordered to pay his victim £1,000 in compensation.