A man needed 53 stitches after being hit in the face with a vape during a night out in Liverpool city centre.
Dylan Hughes' teenage victim suffered nasty slash wounds following the unprovoked attack, which came after the two men had accidentally bumped into one another in a crowded pub.
Liverpool Crown Court heard today, Tuesday, that 19-year-old Craig Drake had been "enjoying a night out" with his girlfriend at Fitzgerald's Irish Bar on Slater Street in the early hours of March 20 this year. Then, at around 3.30am, he and the defendant "bumped into each other".
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CCTV footage played to court showed words being exchanged between the two for around 30 seconds following what Paul Blasbery, prosecuting, described as a "very slight" coming together. But "for some unexplained reason" Hughes, of Conway Street in Everton, struck the teen in the face "on one or two occasions" using an unknown implement he was holding in his hand.
The 34-year-old later "asserted it was a vape". Mr Drake subsequently required 53 stitches to two facial wounds caused by the assault.
A statement read out to the court on his behalf described it as an "unprovoked, vicious attack" and added: "I was an outgoing, carefree young man until I was attacked. I've now withdrawn into myself.
"I feel timid in unfamiliar circumstances. This has had a profound impact on myself and my partner."
Hughes has a total of 18 previous convictions for 22 offences, including affray and battery, but none since 2015. Charles Lander, defending, told the court that his client had previously worked on the railways and as a labourer and is also a dad to a 14-year-old son, adding: "This was his first night out following two incidents which affected him.
"He was himself the victim of an attack, from which he has an unpleasant scar. It was also his first night out after the death of his father.
"He clearly had drunk too much. He says there was a comment from the complainant, but ultimately there is no justification for what he did afterwards.
"He tells me he has gone for a smoke. He has a vape holder on a lanyard, and that had an edge which caused the injury. He realises the unpleasant injury he caused. He is now apart from his son.
"There is a different side to Dylan Hughes. He had put behind him his violent nature from a long time ago.
"He has a period now to reflect on his behaviour. There was only one blow here."
Hughes admitted wounding with intent. He was jailed for 45 months.
Sentencing, Judge David Hale said: "You haven't been in trouble now for a seven or eight years. On this night, you had had quite a lot to drink.
"That was no doubt partly responsible for what happened. As happens in busy drinking spots like this, you brushed against the other man or he brushed against you.
"It was hardly a barge or anything like that. Clearly, you took offence as you turned on him and caused these injuries.
"Whether there was one or two blows, there were clearly two injuries. In my view, there were two blows.
"They are unpleasant injuries, resulting in 53 stitches. You have no great record for violence, nothing recently and certainly nothing of this gravity."
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