A thug smashed a glass over the head of a man in an unprovoked and violent attack inside a Sunderland bar.
David McBeth was drinking alone in Joseph's on Holmeside in the city centre at the same time as the victim, who had went for drinks with a friend on November 7, last year. But McBeth, who had only recently been released from prison for a similar violent crime, began causing trouble by threatening other patrons and trying to take their phones.
And later that night, the 32-year-old's behaviour turned violent in the bar when he smashed a glass over a man's head and then continued to hit him with the broken glass. The victim sustained serious injuries which required up to 20 stitches and he was left with permanent scars.
Read more: Washington man punched woman on night out in Sunderland before sexually assaulting her
McBeth, of Bevan Avenue, Ryhope, Sunderland, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court to be sentenced for wounding with intent. He had pleaded guilty to the single charge at a previous hearing.
Rachael Glover, prosecuting, said the victim, who did not know McBeth, had went to Joseph's with a friend. "He had not been out for around a year after having children", she said. "He went to Joseph's bar and was having a cigarette outside when the defendant entered. He tried to take the complainant's hat off his head, and he was told not to do that, the defendant did not take well to this request."
Ms Glover said McBeth began to "cause upset" in the bar by "making threats and trying to take people's phones". At around 9pm, the victim was sitting at a table while McBeth stood nearby. It was then that McBeth carried out the offence. Ms Glover said: "He picked up the glass he was drinking from and struck the man in the face. He then used the broken remains to hit him a number of times in the face and head." McBeth then began to punch the man, who fell to the floor and was bleeding heavily.
McBeth continued to argue with people in the bar before the man was taken to hospital after sustaining a wound to his head. He required eight staples and 20 stitches and was left with cuts and bruising, the court heard. McBeth was later identified from CCTV and was arrested on November 9.
In a victim impact statement, the man said the attack was unprovoked and said it was "a shock to be attacked for no reason". He added that he is "visibly scarred on the face". The court heard that McBeth had 34 previous convictions for 64 offences. In June 2020, he was jailed for four years for carrying out two section 20 assaults and robbery. He had been out of prison for eight weeks when he committed the November 7 offence.
Mr Smith, defending McBeth, who appeared at the court via link from HMP Holme House, said the defendant could not remember the incident. "He does accept responsibility for the whole of the incident and feels significant remorse for that", he said. "He was feeling isolated and depressed at the time and emotionally dysregulated, which led on to drinking and being unable to read the situation well.
"All he can remember is he was having a drink in the bar by himself and was joshing around and fooling around with them. The victim felt like the atmosphere changed. [McBeth] is deeply, deeply sorry and has significant regret." Mr Smith added that McBeth had "difficulties with education" and had no formal qualifications.
Sentencing him, Judge Stephen Earl, said it was an "unprovoked attack against people you didn't know". "This was, frankly, an appalling assault on a member of the public who had gone out to have drinks with friends. You had had a misunderstanding as to what constituted a joke, and suddenly, for no apparent reason smashed a glass into the head of the complainant." The judge added it was "amazing" that the injuries were "not more catastrophic". McBeth was jailed for five years and four months.
