A case involving Ieuan Ford has been adjourned for sentencing until next month, after Mr Ford pleaded guilty in the Summary Court on Tuesday to a charge of assault causing actual bodily harm.
An ambulance was called to an incident that took place outside Deano’s Bar late in the evening of 2 October. Police also attended the scene at the time.
Mr Ford admitted head butting another person, but defending lawyer Alison Inglis said that there had been “significant provocation” for the assault. The court heard several accounts of what had happened in the run up to the head butt, including that Mr Ford had been pushed or grabbed.
The court heard that Mr Ford had been asked to leave Deano’s at the time, but that he handed himself in later when he found out that police were looking for him in connection with the incident.
During his police interview, Mr Ford said “I hit him and he went to the floor”. Mr Ford told police he had been grabbed first, but he also accepted that he had not really been injured and that it had not been a reasonable way to defend himself.
Justices of the Peace were shown stills from CCTV of the incident, as well as photographs of the victim’s injuries. However, prosecution lawyer Andrew Dawson also told them that the victim of the assault had refused to provide a victim impact statement and did not want to claim compensation.
Miss Inglis said that her client had never been in trouble before and that he was “utterly shocked”. She said that Mr Ford publicly apologised for what had happened.
There was some legal argument about which categories of blame and harm the case came into for the sentencing guidelines. Mr Dawson argued that the case was in categories that warranted a community order or even custody. He pointed out that a head butt should be seen as using a weapon. On the other hand, Miss Inglis argued that, if the case didn’t quite reach the higher category for blame and didn’t quite reach the higher category for harm, then JPs could consider imposing a fine instead.
JPs considered their decision and adjourned the case until 12 January so that a pre-sentencing report can be carried out. Mr Ford will be on conditional bail until then.
