Truesee's Daily Wonder

Truesee presents the weird, wild, wacky and world news of the day.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

 

Father smashed wine bottle over diner's head for complaining that his baby would not stop crying

Father smashed wine bottle over diner's head for complaining that his baby would not stop crying

Tamara Cohen

11:12 AM on 27th June 2011

 

While trying to enjoy a romantic dinner date, Clive Merrifield and his companion had spent half an hour disturbed by a crying baby at the next table.

The company director suggested to the child’s parents that given it was after 10pm, the seven-month-old might be tired.

The baby’s father’s reaction was to pull a bottle of wine from Mr Merrifield’s ice bucket and smash it over his head.


 

Billy West with torn shirt pictured shortly after his arrest. He has been jailed for two years for the bottle attack
Clive Merrifield

Billy West (left) with torn shirt pictured shortly after his arrest. He has been jailed for two years and five months for the bottle attack on Clive Merrifield (right), who was left with a four-inch gash on his scalp

Mr Merrifield, 44, who was having a meal at an Indian restaurant in Islington, North London with his girlfriend was left with a deep four-inch gash on his scalp which required 16 stitches and has left him scarred.

The baby’s father, Billy West, was jailed for two years and five months at Blackfriars Crown Court for what the judge called a ‘vicious and cowardly’ attack.

West, 20, who arrived at the  restaurant with his partner, their baby and another man, took offence at Mr Merrifield’s comments, the court heard, and asked him to settle the matter ‘outside’.

To the surprise of other diners, the child’s mother held the infant up and sneered sarcastically: ‘It’s a baby’. The family were escorted out of the Parveen Tandoori by staff but West returned alone five minutes later to attack Mr Merrifield.

The brutal assault occurred at Parveen, an Indian restaurant in Theberton Street, Islington, north London

The brutal assault occurred at Parveen, an Indian restaurant in Theberton Street, Islington, north London

Yesterday the former police constable, who runs his own auditing business, said: ‘The child had been crying and crying at the next table, it was constant. The mother kept getting up to hold it up to the mirror behind us, but it wouldn’t stop.

‘It was very loud – other people noticed but they didn’t say anything, and after about half an hour I just said to my girlfriend: “I’ve had enough”.

'I went over and said very politely that I was sorry but this is a quiet restaurant and we’re trying to enjoy our meal and your baby won’t stop crying. I asked if they could take it outside for a bit, and said it might be tired at this time of night.  

‘She just held it up and started shaking it and saying “It’s a baby”. They asked me if I had a problem with children, which I don’t, and the two men told me we could “sort this out outside”.

‘The staff asked them to leave and we carried on eating. The next thing I knew I had been whacked on the back of the head. He had hit me with my bottle of wine.

‘I just remember seeing my girlfriend’s face, looking really worried, and the blood and glass on her top. I got up but he had gone, and I looked down and saw my shirt soaked in blood.’

West was arrested six weeks after the attack  in November last year after police found him hiding in a neighbour’s home.

Clive Merrifield's injury required 16 stitches and has left him scarred

Clive Merrifield's injury required 16 stitches and has left him scarred

Tom Wainwright, defending West, said the carpenter had ‘just snapped’ and had written a letter of apology to his victim. 

Passing sentence, Judge Nicholas Riddell said: ‘This was a vicious and cowardly attack.’

The victim was taken to hospital where he was given an emergency X-ray and 16 stitches.

His attacker was eventually arrested on November 17, after being found hiding under a heap of clothes, behind a mirror, in a neighbour’s bedroom.

In an impact statement the victim said: ‘I have been left with a four inch ragged scar on the top of my head.

‘It makes me feel self-conscious in public and at work.

‘I feel it has changed people’s opinion of me and I am concerned I am seen as a thuggish manager rather than an authoritative manager.

‘I am self-employed and this affects me when taking out prospective clients.

‘Since leaving the Army I have tried to avoid violent situations or confrontations and this incident has taken me back to those times, and destroyed the coping mechanisms I have spent years developing.’

The court heard West has previous convictions for assault, after spraying someone with CS gas, and was on a suspended sentence for aggravated vehicle taking when he attacked Mr Merrifield.

Tom Wainwright, defending West, argued the carpenter had a more productive side to his personality.

‘He was working hard at the time and he had a young child, who had been crying and not been sleeping, and he was extremely tired and stressed,’ said the barrister.

‘He does not seek to excuse his behaviour but highlights this simply to provide some background.

‘He just snapped. This was the last straw.

‘He is genuinely remorseful for his behaviour and has written a letter of apology to the victim.’

The court heard he has helped out at a local youth club and is keen to rejoin his partner and child.

He has already served 218 days on remand awaiting sentence and Mr Wainwright added: ‘Not much more of a reminder is required.’

Passing sentence Judge Nicholas Riddell said: ‘You caused this unfortunate man a serious head wound which has left him with serious permanent scarring and lasting psychological effects.

‘Your counsel has rightly said there is another side to you.

‘Nonetheless this remains an offence that is so serious that only an immediate custodial sentence can be justified.’

West, of Islington, north London, admitted unlawful wounding and breaching a suspended sentence order.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2008613/Father-smashed-wine-bottle-diners-head-complaining-baby-stop-crying.html#ixzz1QZ82UyGz


Comments: Post a Comment

<< Home

Archives

March 2024   February 2024   January 2024   December 2023   November 2023   October 2023   September 2023   August 2023   July 2023   June 2023   May 2023   April 2023   March 2023   February 2023   January 2023   December 2022   November 2022   October 2022   September 2022   August 2022   July 2022   June 2022   May 2022   April 2022   March 2022   February 2022   January 2022   December 2021   November 2021   October 2021   September 2021   August 2021   July 2021   June 2021   May 2021   April 2021   March 2021   February 2021   January 2021   December 2020   November 2020   October 2020   September 2020   August 2020   July 2020   June 2020   May 2020   April 2020   March 2020   February 2020   January 2020   December 2019   November 2019   October 2019   September 2019   August 2019   July 2019   June 2019   May 2019   April 2019   March 2019   February 2019   January 2019   December 2018   November 2018   October 2018   September 2018   August 2018   July 2018   June 2018   May 2018   April 2018   March 2018   February 2018   January 2018   December 2017   November 2017   October 2017   September 2017   August 2017   July 2017   June 2017   May 2017   April 2017   March 2017   February 2017   January 2017   December 2016   November 2016   October 2016   September 2016   August 2016   July 2016   June 2016   May 2016   April 2016   March 2016   February 2016   January 2016   December 2015   November 2015   October 2015   September 2015   August 2015   July 2015   June 2015   May 2015   April 2015   March 2015   February 2015   January 2015   December 2014   November 2014   October 2014   September 2014   August 2014   July 2014   June 2014   May 2014   April 2014   March 2014   February 2014   January 2014   December 2013   November 2013   October 2013   September 2013   August 2013   July 2013   June 2013   May 2013   April 2013   March 2013   February 2013   January 2013   December 2012   November 2012   October 2012   September 2012   August 2012   July 2012   June 2012   May 2012   April 2012   March 2012   February 2012   January 2012   December 2011   November 2011   October 2011   September 2011   August 2011   July 2011   June 2011   May 2011   April 2011   March 2011   February 2011   January 2011   December 2010   November 2010   October 2010   September 2010   August 2010   July 2010   June 2010   May 2010   April 2010   March 2010   February 2010   January 2010   December 2009   November 2009   October 2009   September 2009   August 2009   July 2009   June 2009   May 2009   April 2009   March 2009   February 2009   January 2009   December 2008  

Powered by Lottery PostSyndicated RSS FeedSubscribe