A "well-built" thug slashed a woman's neck after glassing her in a Sunderland pub and left her with blood "spurting" out of the wound.
David Jenkins took offence at a comment a 49-year-old woman made to him whilst drinking in the Oddfellows Arms pub in the Millfield area of the city on October 9, 2021. The 39-year-old left the woman with a gash to her neck that was "spurting blood" and looked like a "scene from a horror movie".
.Jenkins, of Sunderland, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court on Thursday to be sentenced for section 18 wounding with intent. He had been found guilty of the serious charge following a trial.
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Jenkins was also sentenced for dangerous driving and driving with excess alcohol - which were committed on January 27 2021. He had admitted those offences and was on court bail at the time of the section 18 wounding.
The court heard that Jenkins, who had been to a funeral the previous day, was drinking in the Oddfellows Arms pub when he was heard to call a child a "nonce". A woman who was also in the pub "challenged" him and told Jenkins - who was drinking a pint - he "couldn't call a child a nonce", which he took offence at.
Joe Hedworth, prosecuting, said: "The defendant said 'who are you f****** talking to?' He appeared high and the complainant bravely said she was not scared and was just being nice and not nasty. A beer mat dropped from the bottom of his glass and he smashed the pint glass in the right side of her face, causing it to shatter. Her face and neck immediately stung and she thought the defendant had swilled her."
The woman, who is 5ft 4in and nine stone, then realised she had sustained "horrific injury" to her neck and she called the police. Jenkins then fled the pub, and the court heard the next thing the victim remembered was a paramedic saying "she's gone, she's gone". Mr Hedworth said: "Blood was spurting out of her neck and (the victim said) it was like a scene from a horror movie."
Mr Hedworth added that Jenkins is a "well built man" and is 6ft tall, with the victim being a small woman who was 49-years-old at the time. Jenkins was arrested that night and he became "aggressive and threatening" to police and threatened to rip one officer's head off while calling one a "dog nonce".
The victim was taken to A&E where it was found she'd sustained a gash to her neck that was 10cm long and had damaged her jugular vein, causing "rapid haemorrhage". The wound was stitched up and she was discharged from hospital later that month but continues to suffer psychological issues.
Jenkins carried out the vicious attack whilst on bail for dangerous driving and driving with excess alcohol. The offences were committed on January 27, 2021 and saw him run red lights.
The court was told Jenkins had a "significant history of violent offending" including battery and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in 2004 and a later offence that involved him waving a machete about.
Jason Smith, defending, said the section 18 offence was an "unfortunate incident" and that Jenkins "accepts he's responsible for the injury". He said: "There was a verbal confrontation and he made the decision to use a glass to cause the injury that occurred. He was suffering from PTSD due to historical issues at the time. He was not in the right mind that day and not capable of controlling his emotions due to issues that occurred to him in the past."
Mr Smith said that as a result of the attack, Jenkins had himself been subjected to assaults in retaliation, and had suffered a "slash wound" to his back and a cut running down the side of his face, which required "medical intervention". Mr Smith added: "The perpetrator indicated it was a consequence of his involvement with the victim." The court heard that family members of the victim are on the same prison wing as Jenkins.
Sentencing Jenkins, Judge Christopher Prince said he had shown "no remorse" for his offending and handed him a 20-year extended prison sentence - 14 years of which will be custodial. He was also disqualified from driving for 12 months - which will likely be imposed upon his prison release - and he will need to complete an extended test if he wants his licence back.
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