Man sentenced for breaking man's jaw at Dorset pub

Ryan Lee Warrener, 25, of Newton Peveril in Sturminster Marshall, was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on December 10 for maliciously inflicted grievous bodily harm to Joseph Davis at the Goods Yard pub in Broadstone.

The court heard how Warrener had been drinking to celebrate his father’s birthday at Broadstone Golf Club on February 22, 2020, where he and Mr Davis are both members.

The defendant, who runs his own marketing business, then went to the Goods Yard pub where an altercation began between him and Mr Davis.

Warrener, who had drunk eight or nine pints, thought he heard Mr Davis say he was going to “knock him out”.

He then intervened when Mr Davis was speaking to the defendant’s father, before throwing him to the ground and kicking him in the head.

Mr Davis was knocked out and had to have an operation on his fractured jaw and some of his teeth were knocked loose.

Warrener was removed from the pub by the manager.

The complainant has been seeing a dentist, an orthodontist and a counsellor as a result of the incident and has left the golf club to avoid seeing Warrener.

Reading a statement from Mr Davis, Mr Brian Sharman, prosecuting, said: “My teeth are loose, there are certain foods I cannot eat, I have to be careful through worry my teeth will come out.

“Once my teeth are sorted, I will need braces to realign them. It will cost about £3,500 for the brace and £950 for the route canal.

“I had trouble sleeping, I am very wary when going out to pubs and going out makes me feel on edge.”

Mitigating, Mr Kevin Hill said Warrener was full of remorse and tried to phone his victim to apologise.

He said the defendant handed himself in and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

Warrener was previously of good character and was “utterly devastated” by what had happened.

Recorder Mr Llewellyn Sellick sentenced Warrener to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years.

Mr Sellick said: “You had too much to drink. Your father was talking to Joseph Davis, whatever was actually said, you decided to intervene, and you threw Joseph Davis to the floor and then kicked him to his head.

“That kick fractured the jaw and displaced his teeth, he was knocked out.

“It is clear from the statement from Joseph Davis that what you did still affects him.

“I accept that the way you acted that night, as a drunken thug, is in fact highly out of character.

“The offence of kicking someone to the ground has to be marked by a sentence of imprisonment. I have to ask myself whether that can be a sentence that can be suspended.

“It is not the easiest decision, but this is indeed a sentence that can properly be suspended.

“If you want to serve 18 months in prison, then go out and commit another offence.”

Warrener was also ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work, pay £4000 of compensation and a surcharge of £149.