Thug who broke jaw of stranger outside pub jailed for 21 months

Jordan Bullock wrongly thought he had been spat at when two people passed him outside the Meadow Lark pub in Dibdale Road, Dudley, where customers had watched TV coverage of England beating Australia 2-1 in a friendly international soccer match.

The 24 year old, who had been drinking, picked on the wrong one of the pair, hitting him in the face, Wolverhampton Crown Court.

The blow broke the jaw of Brad Gutteridge so badly that three metal plates had to be inserted into his face during surgery to mend the injury.

He was taken to hospital after feeling dizzy when he reached home following the attack.

He revealed in a statement read to the court that he lost one and a half stone in weight, could not work for two months and had only just started to regain his confidence more than two years after the incident which took place on May 27 2016.

Trainee bricklayer Bullock was convicted of causing grievous bodily harm after a trial and had been remanded on bail for pre-sentence reports.

Mr Stephen Hamblett, defending, said the defendant had not committed any offence since the incident which had been ‘over in seconds.’

The defendant, from Kingfare Rise, Dudley, was on a suspended sentence - imposed after being involved in more violence - when he delivered the punch.

He was sent to prison for 21 months by Judge Peter Barrie.

Judge Barrie told him: “There is evidence which indicates that you had drunk too much that evening.

“There is nothing to say you knew either of the two young men who walked passed you outside the pub where you had all been customers.

“You may have taken umbrage at one of them spitting at you.

“It was not the one you punched during your sudden rage, causing serious harm to somebody who had done no harm at all.

“Also you may have misinterpreted the actions of the other person but you had a tendency to tun violent at that time having been given a suspended sentence for similar behaviour only eight months earlier.

“This was an act of completely uncalled for violence.”