Reveller's jaw broken in mistaken identity attack

George Hazard admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm

A man who broke a reveller's jaw in "an awful case of mistaken identity" has been jailed for two years.

George Hazard, 32, thought his victim had hit a woman in a pub in Sunderland, but actually the man was "wholly innocent", Newcastle Crown Court heard.

Hazard's lawyer said his completion of a domestic violence course, having been jailed for intentionally strangling his girlfriend, could have accounted for him feeling "compelled" to intervene.

Recorder Jonathan Sandiford KC said it was "just an excuse for violence". Hazard, who had a history of violent offending, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm.

The victim was drinking in a bar on 24 May after watching Sunderland win the Championships play-off final, prosecutor Emily Sanderson said.

While he was in the toilet, there was an argument in the pub between a man and woman which resulted in the woman being hit to the floor, the court heard.

'Completely unprovoked'

Hazard, of Fordfield Road, did not witness the attack but heard about it from other people and wrongly decided that the victim was responsible, the court heard.

He walked up to the man and punched him in the mouth with full force before fleeing, the court heard.

The victim required surgery and the installation of metal plates and screws after his jaw was broken and a tooth knocked out, the court heard.

In a statement, the victim said he had been left unable to eat properly for a long time and the "completely unprovoked attack" had had a "tremendous effect" on his mental health.

'Long term consequences'

The court heard Hazard had 19 convictions for 30 offences and a jail term for domestic violence against a partner.

In mitigation, Sophie Allinson-Howells said as part of that sentence, Hazard had completed the Building Better Relationships course for perpetrators of domestic abuse.

She said "one analysis" could be that the programme had had such a "profound effect" on Hazard that he felt "so appalled" and "compelled to act" hearing a woman had been attacked.

In reality it was a case of "mistaken identity" and the victim was "wholly innocent", and even if he had carried out the attack, it was not Hazard's place to get involved, Ms Allinson-Howells said.

Recorder Sandiford said it was "just an excuse for violence" for Hazard, who had cut off an alcohol monitoring tag he was required to wear as part of a court sentence.

The judge said a broken jaw had "long term consequences" for the victim and an impact on "simple day to day activities we all take for granted".