Weymouth nightclub attacker admits using bottle was 'unreasonable' (From Dorset Echo)

Weymouth nightclub attacker admits using bottle was 'unreasonable'

10:00am Monday 15th March 2010 in

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DORCHESTER Crown Court was told that Doyle admitted lashing out at Stephen Clark, but did not realise he had a glass bottle in his hand at the time.

Peter Spink, prosecuting, said Doyle was out with fellow sailors on the night in question and one of his group was exchanging words with Mr Clark.

Doyle then became involved in the altercation and struck out at Mr Clark hitting him in the head and causing glass to hit Marc Williamson in the face.

Mr Spink said: “Mr Williamson was nearby trying to calm things down.”

In a basis of plea read out at the sentencing hearing, Doyle claimed he did not realise he had a bottle in his hand at the time.

He said: “I did not appreciate at the time of the instinctive strike that I had a bottle in my hand.

“On reflection the use of the bottle was unreasonable.”

Edward Elton, mitigating, said Doyle, of Fordenbridge Road, Sunderland, had not been in trouble with the courts before this incident but was ‘emotionally troubled at the time’.

He said Doyle had recently suffered the loss of a close friend during his naval service as well as his grandfather and grandmother.

Doyle had just been medically discharged from the Navy due to abnormally low lung capacity.

As well as imposing a suspended sentence Judge Jarvis also imposed a six-month curfew requirement and ordered that Doyle carry out 200 hours of unpaid community work.

Doyle was also ordered to pay £500 compensation to Mr Williamson, £150 to Mr Clark and a contribution of £300 towards prosecution costs.