A party descended into violence when a Mossley Hill man left his best friend’s partner with a “blow-out” fracture to her eye socket.
Ian Thompson, 39, was spared jail at Liverpool Crown Court today after pleading guilty to unlawfully inflicting grievous bodily harm on Claire Donnelly at an earlier hearing.
He received a 10 month prison sentence suspended for 18 months, after Judge Mr Recorder Mark Ainsworth heard he had no previous convictions and had suffered mental health issues.
Thompson, of Penny Lane, had invited the pair, along with his own partner, to his flat for a party on July 19, 2014.
Kenneth Grant, prosecuting, said: “The complainant Claire Donnelly is the partner of a man called Paul Hynes. Mr Hynes and the defendant had been very good friends, going all the way back to childhood.”
The court heard everyone at the flat had been enjoying themselves and all apart from Thompson’s partner had been drinking.
However Mr Grant said the mood changed shortly after 11pm when Thompson began to make unpleasant remarks about the victim and her relationship with Mr Hynes.
He said: “They were sufficiently unpleasant remarks for her to feel annoyed, although she tried to laugh them off at first.
“At some time between 11.30pm and midnight Mr Hynes and Miss Donnelly were sitting on a sofa when for some reason Thompson walked over to Mr Hynes and started hitting him in the face.
“Miss Donnelly tried to stop him but was struck once to the face with such force it was later found to have caused a blow-out fracture to the internal orbit of her left eye.”
The court heard Miss Donnelly was forced to see a specialist who recommended surgery, which she later turned down.
Frank Dillon, representing Thompson, told the court his client had a history of alcohol abuse and metal illness.
Ian Thompson, 39, was spared jail at Liverpool Crown Court today after pleading guilty to unlawfully inflicting grievous bodily harm on Claire Donnelly
He said: “The loss of his good character meant a lot to him and it is rather unusual for a defence advocate to have in his arsenal such a sheaf of glowing character references.”
The court heard a good friend of the defendant had committed suicide in the time leading up to the incident.
Judge Ainsworth, passing sentence, said: “It was a single blow but it must have been a blow of some force. She sustained a very serious injury due to the force of that blow.
“She needed medical attention although she didn’t undergo an operation. Still, it must have been a very uncomfortable and distressing injury for her I have no doubt.”
Thompson was ordered to complete 150 hours unpaid work and ordered to observe a 9pm until 6am curfew for three months.
He was also ordered to pay a £100 victim surcharge.
Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/