Harborough man jailed for unprovoked nightclub attack which left victim with a fractured jaw

Despite being punched, it was the victim who was actually ejected from the Leamington night club - but he was able to point out his assailant as attacker Alex Puxley left the club with his girlfriend shortly afterwards.

Puxley (27) of The Heights, Little Bowden, Market Harborough, Leics, was jailed for ten months after pleading guilty at Warwick Crown Court to inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Prosecutor Nigel Stelling said that in February last year the victim, a teacher, visited Leamington with a friend, and went to various pubs before ending up in Altoria night club.

Just before 1am, having got separated from his friend, he saw Puxley arguing with a group of people.

A young woman who was with Puxley came over to speak to him, although he could not hear what she was saying because it was so noisy in the club.

“As that was happening, Puxley appeared next to him and, without warning, punched him to the left side of his face, to his jaw. There was then a second punch to the right side of his face,” said Mr Stelling.

The victim was then approached by security staff and escorted from the night club.

“He complained that he was the one who had been assaulted and that the man who punched him was not being ejected.”

He remained outside the club in Warwick Street, and when Puxley came out with his girlfriend he pointed him out to the door staff before leaving and returning to his hotel.

The following morning he realised something was not right with his jaw and went to hospital, where it was found he had suffered an undisplaced fracture, although it did not need surgical intervention.

The incident was reported to the police, and when Puxley was traced and arrested in May he said he was ‘not a violent person,’ and had never before been in any sort of fight.

And he complained that when he and his girlfriend left the night club, the other man was still there and being aggressive and unpleasant towards him, added Mr Stelling.

Recorder David Chinery told Puxley he could not impose anything other than an immediate prison sentence for an offence which had involved unprovoked violence in a busy night club.