Man is jailed over jaw break attack on lifelong friend after drinking binge row

A man who broke the jaw of his lifelong friend after the pair rowed during a drinking binge has been jailed for 12 months.
News from the courtsNews from the courts
News from the courts

David Berry kicked his victim repeatedly in the face after punching him to the ground during the attack.

Leeds Crown Court heard Berry and his partner had been to a party at White Rose Snooker Club, Ossett, on November 18 last year.

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Mehran Narssiri, prosecuting, said the victim had also been at the club and the two men had known each other since childhood.

Berry and his partner were invited back to his friend’s home at the end of the evening and the two men went to a supermarket to buy alcohol.

Mr Nassiri described how both men admitted they were drunk during the evening, argued some time after 3am but the details of the row were still unclear.

Berry punched his friend to the ground before kicking him three or four times to the face. The victim suffered two fractures to his jaw during the attack.

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He had to undergo surgery to have a metal plate fitted to his face.

Berry, 28, of Ward Street, Dewsbury, pleaded guilty to inflicting grivious bodily harm.

He was subject to a community order at the time of the incident for an offence of violence.

Jeremey Hill-Baker, mitigating, said: “The brief circumstances of what took place will always be shrouded in an alcoholic haze.

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“They have been friends since childhood and they have always been on good terms.”

Jailing Berry, Recorder Drake said: “This was a vicious attack on your friend and it is aggravated by the fact that you were subject to a community order.”