A DOORMAN who broke a young Warwick man’s cheekbone with a single punch inside a Leamington night club has been ordered to pay him £1,000 compensation after finally admitting assaulting him.
Steven Davis had denied assaulting James Wixey causing him actual bodily harm during the incident – but changed his plea to guilty on the day of his trial at Warwick Crown Court.
Davis, of Bridgecote, Willenhall Wood, Coventry, at the time, was sentenced to six months in prison suspended for two years, and was ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work.
In addition, Recorder Edward Coke ordered the 39-year-old to pay £1,000 in compensation to Mr Wixey, who is from Warwick, and £1,000 costs.
Prosecutor Ian Windridge said that in April last year Davis was working as a doorman at the Altoria night club in Warwick Street.
A CCTV camera showed Mr Wixey, holding a bottle in his right hand, being taken backwards by another doorman through a door onto a landing at the club, which is on three floors.
Davis followed, and grabbed hold of Mr Wixey’s arm before landing a blow to his face and, still holding his arm, a jab to his midriff, causing him to drop the bottle before he was then taken down the stairs.
As a result of the first punch, Mr Wixey suffered a deviated nose and a fractured cheekbone, for which he had to undergo surgery.
Mr Windridge added that although Davis had no previous convictions, he had a caution for battery in 2010.
Jonathan Barker, defending, said: “The defendant no longer works in the security industry.
“For the last 20 years he has worked as a transport manager full-time, and would work on the doors to supplement his income, but no longer does that.
“He accepts with hindsight that his actions were disproportionate,” said Mr Barker, who added that Davis has two children from a previous relationship, and now lived with a new partner in Leicestershire.
Sentencing Davis, Recorder Coke told him: “I bear in mind the responsibility doormen have to behave in a proper way, but I also accept there are, on occasions, difficult circumstances.
“This was tantamount to going beyond what was necessary. Whatever the actions of the complainant, he did not deserve to have a fractured cheekbone.”
