'Respectful' Havant man jailed after thrusting glass into doorman's face in popular Southsea club

Despite having never committed a crime in life, Bradley Newman, 28, of Havant, decided to walk over to an incident not involving him where a bouncer was ejecting someone from the popular Kingsley’s nightclub in Osborne Road, Southsea. Newman then shoved a glass into the security man’s face to ruin both their lives.

The barbaric act has left the victim with a life-long scar, serving as a constant reminder of the incident with ‘everyone commenting on it’.

Portsmouth Crown Court heard how the doorman’s life has been turned upside down by the unprovoked assault with him needing multiple surgeries, suffering ‘nightmares’ and developing PTSD. He has also lost his job as a result.

The incident on September 7 last year was captured on CCTV, leaving Newman with little option but to admit a charge of grievous bodily harm.

Prosecutor Edward Elton said: ‘The victim now has a permanent scar on his forehead. It is so huge that everyone comments on it.’

The victim, in his statement read out by Mr Elton, said: ‘I wake up scared and replay the incident over and over in my head every night.

‘It has affected my relationship with my girlfriend, I have lost my job and have no income and now have blurred vision. It is a hideous scar.’

Newman, of Overton Crescent, told police he was ‘shocked’ by his ‘horrible’ actions having not remembered the attack after being intoxicated on spirits. He even made a compensation offer to the victim.

Defending, Daniel Reilly, said: ‘It was a moment of inexplicable madness. He fully cooperated with the police and was visibly shocked and upset when he found out what had happened, with him describing the incident as “horrible”.

‘He told police he wanted to make a financial offer to the victim and pay him money he had saved up to buy his first home with his partner and two young children.

‘Mr Newman is a genuine, kind and respectful individual with a big heart.’

Mr Reilly concluded by pleading with judge Roger Hetherington to ‘step outside the sentencing guidelines’ and spare Newman jail by making him an exceptional case.

But the judge rejected the plea. ‘(The attack) is not untypical to incidents that happen every week which result in immediate custody.’

Judge Hetherington told Newman: ‘The doorman was in the process of ejecting a rather large member of the public, who was not in your group.

‘You finished your drink and walked over before thrusting your glass straight into the doorman’s face. The glass shattered and left him seriously injured and needing 20 stitches and a permanent scar that everyone comments on.’

Newman was then sent to jail for three years and four months – leaving his family, sat in the public gallery, in tears as he was taken down to begin his term.