Drunken thug launched vicious attack in Notts over 'Romanian' dog

A drunken thug viciously attacked a dog walker in Nottinghamshire '“ because he took a dislike to the man's 'Romanian' pet.

A court heard the victim, who was in his mid-60s, had been walking his dog with his partner when 24-year-old Jamie Smith approached them with another man, clearly drunk and holding a can of beer.

Gurdial Singh, prosecuting at Nottingham Crown Court, said Smith asked the man where his dog was from and the victim replied “it’s a Romanian cross”.

The court heard Smith, of Bonnington Road, Mansfield, said “I don’t like Romanians” and punched the man in the face, causing him to lose his footing and stumble back into a fence.

Mr Singh said a car appeared, driven by the victim’s neighbour. Her 16-year-old son tried to get out and help, but Smith attempted to pull him out of the car.

Smith’s victim tried to intervene and Smith hit him for a second time, knocking him to the floor where the victim banged his head.

The victim’s partner witnessed the attack and described the second blow as “very forceful”.

She said: “He drew his arm all the way back and hit him in the face.”

One of his eyes was completely closed and his face was bleeding. She put her partner into the recovery position.

The attack happened on Ladybrook Lane, Mansfield, on August 11, 2015, at about 9pm.

Police arrested Smith shortly afterwards with blood on his hand and spots of blood on his clothing.

The court heard he was “quite clearly drunk”.

The victim was taken to Sutton’s King’s Mill Hospital, where he was treated for bleeding on the brain, a fractured left cheek and bruising and lacerations.

The court heard he had been “badly affected” by the attack and was “scared about any repercussions”.

He spent three nights in hospital and was left with deafness in his left ear and problems eating on the left side of his face, because it had been disfigured by swelling.

The court heard Smith, who admitted causing grievous bodily harm, had previous convictions for using threatening words and behaviour and a dwelling house burglary.

Justin Atkinson, mitigating, said Smith had lost his job following an altercation with a fellow chef in the weeks before his court appearance.

Jailing Smith for 15 months, Judge Jeremy Lea told him: “This was a completely unprovoked and drunken assault on a man 40 years older than you who was walking his dog and minding his own business with his partner.

“You stuck him twice and caused a bleed on the brain. You might have killed him if that bang on the head had been any harder.

“This is thuggish behaviour.”