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Man jailed after bar stool attack
From the archive, first published Friday 14th Oct 2005.
CHIPPENHAM NEWS: A man who smashed a bar stool on a pub landlord has been jailed for 18 months.
Liam O'Donnell, 22, of Bridgemead, Calne, launched an unprovoked attack on Sean Harflet, landlord of the King's Arms in Calne High Street.
He smashed a bar stool into him before punching him while he was on the ground and kicking him in the face on June 24.
Rob Welling, prosecuting at Swindon Crown Court on Thursday, said O'Donnell's girlfriend Becky Swain had been upset because she had been evicted after renting a room at the pub.
He said O'Donnell went to the pub and attacked Mr Harflet.
"There was no provocation. He saw the defendant approach from another room in the pub. He approached with a wooden stool. It was aimed at his head."
He said the landlord managed to get his left hand up to cushion the blow from the stool but as he was on the ground O'Donnell rained punches on him.
Marcus Davey, defending, said O'Donnell, who pleaded guilty to wounding with intent, had not planned to attack his victim but said it was a `split second moment of madness'.
Recorder Maria Lamb said: "While I accept this assault was not pre-meditated it was nevertheless committed as an act of revenge for a perceived injustice done to your girlfriend.
"You wielded a stool as a weapon. You used it to strike a man who was unable in the circumstances to defend himself. Then not content with that you went on to deliver a flurry of blows to him."
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