Thug broke woman peacekeeper's wrist, court hears
A man broke the wrist of a woman peacekeeper as violence flared outside a pub at closing time after he had been drinking and taking drugs, a court heard.
Lena Dell was hurled to the pavement by Brett Dance when she tried to stop him attacking another man in the street, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.
The fall fractured her left wrist while her friend, Paige Palmer, was also pushed out of the way by the 30-year-old whose life had gone off the rails after the break-up of a relationship, the court was told.
The trouble started when Dance realised that his keys were missing as customers waited for taxis outside the Shoulder of Mutton pub in Birmingham Road, Blackheath, in the early hours of February 2.
Mr Patrick Sullivan, prosecuting, said: "He accused a man in the group of taking the keys and punched him. There then followed a prolonged period of public disorder during which both Miss Dell and Miss Palmer tried to stop the fight."
Mr Richard Hull, defending, said: "This was abhorrent behaviour towards the two women. It was the culmination of a period of self destructiveness and self pity by this man after the ending of a long- standing relationship."
Dance, of Eagle Close, Rowley Regis, admitted assault and causing grievous bodily harm and was given a 12-month jail sentence suspended for two years with 150 hours unpaid work and a four- month night-time curfew. Judge Martin Walsh told him: "You had been drinking excessively and consuming cocaine before instigating violence outside the pub."
