Weymouth glass attack victim hits out at thug's 'lenient' sentence (From Thisisdorset)

Weymouth glass attack victim hits out at thug's 'lenient' sentence

10:00am Monday 15th March 2010 in

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THE victim of a glass attack at a Weymouth bar says his attacker has ‘got away lightly’ with a suspended sentence.

Marc Williamson, who was fortunate not to suffer permanent eye damage following the incident in the Barracuda bar, backed comments from a judge who warned violent nightclub attacks should not be tolerated.

However, he said he was ‘disappointed’ with Judge Roger Jarvis’s decision to only hand his attacker Martin Luke Doyle a suspended sentence for charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and unlawful wounding.

Doyle, 21, who was serving in the Royal Navy at the time of the assault on October 18, 2008, admitted lashing out at Mr Williamson’s friend Stephen Clark with a glass bottle in his hand.

Postman Mr Williamson, who was acting as a peacemaker at the time, was struck by a piece of glass as the bottle shattered.

He suffered an eye injury as a result – an inferior retinal haemorrhage – as well as cuts to his face.

Mr Clark was left with a bruise to the forehead and grazed head.

Mr Williamson, 24, from Weymouth, said: “It could have been a lot worse.

“He hit my friend with a bottle and it was the glass shattering and catching me in the face.

“All the injuries are around my eye and it was pretty lucky there was no permanent damage to the eye.

“I have got scarring around my eye but the doctors were relieved that no further damage was done to the eye.”

Judge Jarvis sentenced Doyle to 32 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months, at Dorchester Crown Court.

He said: “Far too many young people come before the courts having admitted or being convicted of committing acts of violence in public places such as bars and nightclubs.

“Why is it that ordinary people cannot go out and enjoy themselves without having to run the risk of being a victim of or witnessing this sort of behaviour?”

Judge Jarvis told Doyle: “It is unreasonable behaviour that you used that bottle in the way that you did.

“It is recklessness of the gravest order.”

Mr Williamson said: “I do feel slightly disappointed with the sentence as you always hear that violent behaviour won’t be tolerated.

“He’s just got to keep his head down for a bit and he won’t really get punished.

“I do feel he has got away lightly but I’m just relieved it’s finally been dealt with.”

He added: “I was out with a group of friends and I just got in the wrong place.

“It’s just annoying because I have been going out in Weymouth for the past six years and I’ve never had any trouble.

“Then you get these people from out of the area who just seem to be out for trouble.”