A man who repeatedly hit a woman in the face told a court he reacted after she threw a beer glass which cut him below his eye. Ainsley White, who was not represented in court, showed the judge a photograph of his face he had taken after the incident.
White, 37, who had spent the afternoon and evening drinking with the victim, also told Liverpool Crown Court: "I didn't go out looking for trouble, I don't do that. I am very very remorseful."
After police were called to the scene, the Looking Glass pub in St Helens, White was found at a nearby Asda store 'intoxicated and shouting he had been glassed,' said Stuart Mills, prosecuting. He was arrested and although he was initially calm his behaviour changed and began kicking the interior of a police car and was screaming and threatening officers who sent for a police van.
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When officers attempted to transfer him he reacted aggressively, flailing and lashing out. He threatened to kick one of the officers in the face and struck him with his handcuffed fists to the back of his head and had to be restrained with the use of pepper spray.
Mr Mills said that the victim of the pub attack told how she is now scared to go out alone in case something similar happened. She said she suffered noticeable bruising to the right side of her face.
He told the court that the incident happened on June 2 last year after White joined a group involving the woman and her friends in Warrington town centre about 3.30pm. At 9pm he asked her to go with him to the Looking Glass pub which she did, but while there she spoke to someone she knew and then heard White calling her name.
Mr Mills said: "He began to rant, 'You are taking the p*** out of me' and, concerned for her safety she walked away but he followed.
"So concerned that she was going to be assaulted she threw her drink over the defendant and he started shouting, 'You’ve glassed me, you've glassed me' and he walked towards her and struck her several times to the face."
White, of Lilford Avenue, Bewsey and Whitecross, Warrington, claimed in court that he was the second person she had glassed.
He said: "She swilled me with the beer and then struck me with the rim under my eye."
White a former carpet fitter now working as a delivery driver, pleaded guilty to common assault - on the basis of excessive self-defence - and threatening behaviour. The court heard that he had been living under a curfew since his arrest with an electronically monitored tag.
The judge, Recorder David Knifton, QC said that White had 29 convictions for 63 offences including assault and threatening behaviour, though only one in the last decade. He imposed a 12 month community order and ordered him to pay the woman £500 compensation and £1,000 towards the prosecution costs.
He also ordered him to carry out 40 rehabilitation activity days and 20 hours unpaid work. The judge also imposed a five year restraining order though White commented he could make it for life as he never wanted to see her again.
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