Harrogate man attacked ex-girlfriend with glass during Rehab night out

A woman has described the 'nightmare' of being scarred for life after her ex-boyfriend struck her in the face with a glass during a blazing pub row.
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Luke Johnson, 22, lashed out during a fracas involving a group of people in the Rehab bar in Harrogate.

The blow struck the victim just above the eye, causing a “nasty” cut to her eyebrow, York Crown Court heard.

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Johnson was arrested and was said to be mortified when shown CCTV footage of the drink-fuelled attack.

He made a full confession and was full of remorse, said prosecutor Nick Adlington.

“He said he forgot he had the glass in his hand when he swung for the female,” added Mr Adlington.

Johnson, of Deane Place, Harrogate, appeared for sentence last Thursday after pleading guilty to wounding/inflicting grievous bodily harm.

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The incident occurred in the Parliament Street bar in February this year, just a few months after Johnson and the 21-year-old victim split up.

Mr Adlington said that just before the attack, there had been an altercation between a group of women including the victim and Johnson’s new partner.

During the fracas, Johnson poured a drink over the victim’s head before swinging for her with the glass in his hand.

Mr Adlington said although the victim’s injury had healed well, she would be left with a permanent scar.

“She says the effect has been a nightmare,” he added.

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“She says she just wants the nightmare to end and she just wants to go back to (being) the 21-year-old she used to be.”

Defence barrister Philip Standfast said Johnson and the victim had had a tempestuous relationship and the friction increased when they kept bumping into each other in pubs following their break-up.

In the run-up to the attack around Valentine’s Day, Johnson and the victim had exchanged a series of “unpleasant” texts in which they tried to wind each other up.

Mr Standfast said Johnson had tried to punch the victim rather than deliberately aiming the glass, which he forgot he was holding.

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“He is not a man who is inclined to violence and those around him are shocked that he behaved in the way he did,” added the barrister.

Judge Mrs DA Sherwin told the defendant he was “fortunate” that the victim’s injury had healed “relatively well”, but said she accepted that he had not deliberately aimed the glass at her face.

She said because of this, and the fact that Johnson had no previous convictions, she would not be sending him straight to prison.

Johnson was given a 12-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, during which he will take part in a Building Better Relationships programme and rehabilitation course.

He was also ordered to carry out 240 hours’ unpaid work and pay the victim £2,500 compensation.