Violent thug left man drinking through a straw after brutal pub attack - now he's broken his own jaw
23.02.2024 - 09:49
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
A violent thug who broke a man's jaw and left him forced to drink through a straw after an unprovoked attack outside a pub went on to break his own jaw when he fell over a year later.
Luke Birch, 31, from Bury, launched his fist at an innocent man who was standing with his back to him outside the Dog Inn, in Clitheroe, on September 17, 2022.
Preston Crown Court heard how Birch, of Waterford Lane, Bury, had been drinking with friends until around 1:30am. Another group of men were waiting for a taxi when one man began swinging his top around his head and antagonising the group, LancsLive reports.
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Holly Nelson, prosecuting, said there was no confrontation between Birch and his victim James Walton, who was standing with his hands in his pockets.
However Birch walked up to Mr Walton and threw a punch which knocked him out, then grabbed him by his jumper. Mr Walton later came round in the back of a police van and was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital. He stayed there for two nights and had surgery to insert a metal plate into his jaw, which was broken.
As a result of his injury, he had to eat pureed food and lost a significant amount of weight. He could not speak properly and it affected his social life, work and hobbies, Ms Nelson said.
Birch pleaded guilty to GBH without intent and appeared at Preston Crown Court to face sentence. His barrister, Damian Zelazowski said the attack was "impulsive and spontaneous" as Birch wrongly believed his victim was about to strike one of his friends.
He explained Birch had recently suffered exactly the same injury as his victim following a fall and had arrived in the dock carrying antibiotics and a large quantity of