Scarborough's Christopher McLoughlan jailed after throwing pint glass which injured a man and woman in West Riding pub

A Scarborough man who behaved like a “drunken yob” has been jailed for over two years after seriously injuring a female pub-goer who was struck by a shard from a pint glass thrown in her direction.
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Christopher McLoughlan, 26, was being a nuisance at the West Riding pub on Castle Road where he was interrupting a game of pool involving a group of friends whom he began goading, York Crown Court heard.

The group pushed McLoughlan out of the pool room after he had been “interfering” with the pool balls.

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He responded by throwing a pint glass “at close quarters” at one of the men in the group, said prosecutor Michael Cahill.

Christopher McLoughlan.Christopher McLoughlan.
Christopher McLoughlan.

The glass shattered as it struck the man on the back of the neck, causing a cut, and a shard ricocheted into the woman, who was struck in the face by the glass splinter.

The glass just missed her eye but caused a nasty facial cut which required stitches. She was left with a “discernible” facial scar, but the court heard that if the shard had hit her in the eye, it could have blinded her.

McCloughlan, who has a track record for drunken violence, appeared for sentence on Friday after pleading guilty to wounding the woman and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation to the man’s injury. Both victims were named in court.

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He also admitted assaulting a police officer after being hauled into custody following the pub incident.

The incident occurred on June 29 last year when McLoughlan threw the glass back inside the room “indiscriminately” after being pushed out of the door.

He then left the pub but was soon found by police, who hauled him into Scarborough Police Station where McLoughlan was still “very drunk”.

It was there, clearly brooding, that McLoughlan threw a plastic cup of water at a police sergeant in his cell. He then picked up a box of tissues and threw that at the officer too.

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The female victim, who was visiting relatives in Scarborough, said “all I could see was blood” after being hit by the glass shard.

“I panicked and thought I would lose my eyesight,” she added. “I didn’t, but another centimeter and I could have (been blinded).

“My life has changed since (that evening). All I was doing was having a quiet night out with my husband and my friends.

“I’m socially withdrawn now. I struggle with panic attacks and struggle to attend social gatherings and family events. I was really sociable – now I struggle to go out at night.”

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The victim, who works as a home carer, said her confidence had been shattered by the facial scar which made her feel self-conscious and made even shopping trips a “nightmare” because “I think people are judging me”.

She had to take a week off work following the attack.

The court that McLoughlan, who runs his own joinery business, had previous convictions for offences such as wounding, assaulting police officers, battery and being drunk and disorderly.

Defence barrister Andrew Semple conceded that McLoughlan had an “unedifying” record, particularly in his younger years when he “drank too much”.

He described McLoughlan’s past behavior as “obnoxious” and his conduct at the West Riding as “stupid and dangerous”.

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“He was very drunk (and) had little memory (of the incident),” added Mr Semple.

Judge Sean Morris condemned McLoughlan for his “poor record” and said he had behaved like a “drunken yob” on the night in question.

“I think you were out for a fight and you wanted to start one – and you did,” added the judge.

“You hurl a glass which strikes your victim and (it was) just luck that the shard of glass that goes off the head of the second victim misses that lady’s eye by about a centimeter – if that.

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“If there had been just one more turn of the glass, and she had moved her head just slightly, you might have blinded somebody for life.”

McCloughan was jailed for 26 months, of which he will serve half behind bars before being released on prison licence.