Man threw glass at friend after being spat at

Sidney Ford was in the Portsbridge pub in Cosham, Portsmouth, on his birthday with his brother.

He greeted family friend Michelle Slater with a kiss on the cheek.

But his brother’s former girlfriend Tracy Fennell – who was with Miss Slater – was asked to leave the pub and started shouting aggressively at Ford.

Darren Bartlett, prosecuting, said: ‘The defendant verbally responded. Miss Fennell then spat at the defendant.

‘It missed him, landing at his feet.

‘Miss Slater, the victim, is then seen to be pushing Miss Fennell out of the pub, trying to usher her out of the door.

‘As they’re about to exit, the defendant throws his full pint glass towards the two girls.

‘That pint glass hits the left hand side of Miss Slater’s face and smashes.

‘Miss Fennell, now not being pushed, returns and continues to throw several punches at the defendant and is later arrested for assaulting the bar staff.’

The court heard Ms Slater suffered concussion and is left with a scar at her hairline.

Medics had to cut off her jumper after shards of glass sprayed on to it.

Her mother had bought it for her from Debenhams shortly before she died.

Reading the victim’s statement at Portsmouth Crown Court, Mr Bartlett said: ‘My jumper is irreplaceable and has huge sentimental value.

‘He’s tainted the memory of my mother and Debenhams.

‘This is what has affected me the most.

‘I will never forgive him for that.’

Mr Bartlett added Ms Slater now suffers from panic attacks and cannot go out on her own.

Oscar Vincent, for Ford, 43, said he had been provoked by Miss Fennell.

He said: ‘The matter culminated with Tracey Fennell and what is described to me as a full throat-clearing, phlegm-included, full-blown spit at him.’

He said Ford was remorseful for what happened and that he had only motioned to throw the glass.

Sentencing, Judge Ian Pearson handed Ford, of Wymering Lane, Wymering, a 36-week prison term suspended for two years.

He said: ‘You were clearly significantly affected by alcohol and you used a glass as a weapon.’

Ford had previously pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

n Miss Fennell, 44, of Winchcombe Road, Paulsgrove, appeared in front of Portsmouth magistrates charged with two counts of assault by beating, but the CPS offered no evidence and the case was dismissed.