Man, 20, locked up for glass attack

6:48am Saturday 17th May 2008

A 20-year-old man who hit a pub-goer in the face with a glass during an incident in Bingley last year has been locked up for eight months.

Benjamin Drabarek, who lives in Nottingham, lashed out with the glass during an incident outside the Wetherspoons premises.

Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday his victim, John Smith, suffered cuts to his cheek and nose, but a phobia about needles meant he did not seek follow-up treatment from a plastic surgeon.

In a statement, Mr Smith described suffering pain from his facial injuries and being off work for two months.

Drabarek's barrister, Robin Frieze, said his client was with a group of people that night. One of them had been causing trouble and Drabarek, then 19, had acted as a peacemaker.

While his associate and Mr Smith were outside the pub, Drabarek tried to push his companion up the street.

Drabarek then lashed out with the glass after mistakenly believing Mr Smith was attempting to punch him.

"As soon as he did it, the complainant's face exploded and started bleeding, and he was horrified and terrified," said Mr Frieze.

He described his client as a decent young man who had never been in that situation before and he pointed out that Drabarek had pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding at the first opportunity.

Judge Roger Scott told Drabarek he did not feel able to suspend his custodial sentence because it was an offence of street violence with the use of a weapon.

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