By Alex Hickey Philip Dewey
A jealous boyfriend “launched” himself across a nightclub dance floor and glassed an unsuspecting man who was talking to his girlfriend. The man was left with a severe injury with the lower part of his ear “sliced away”.
Beau Lyons, 27, had travelled from his home in Flintshire to Newport on March 28 with his partner Shaunnia Connolly and her friend in order to celebrate a birthday. Upon arriving in Newport, they checked into their hotel, had a meal and went on a “mini bar crawl” through the city.
A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Monday heard the group attended Mojo’s nightclub at around 11pm. For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter.
There had been a minor argument between the defendant and Ms Connolly, and she was dancing as Lyons and the friend were talking near the bar.
The victim Shane Edwards had been out drinking with a friend and was also in Mojos. CCTV footage played to the court by prosecutor Nuhu Gobir of Mr Edwards dancing with Ms Connolly and he bought her a drink.
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The next thing he remembered was waking up in hospital and being covered in blood from his chest downwards.
The footage showed Lyons “launching” himself towards Mr Edwards, who was sitting down with Ms Connolly.
The defendant picked up a glass and smashed it into the side of the victim’s face before throwing him into a nearby table before continuing to assault him.
Security staff intervened and escorted Lyons out of the nightclub, but he tried to flee and ran towards Bridge Street before he was detained and arrested.
Mr Edwards was taken to Grange University Hospital and was found to have suffered a 5cm wound through his left ear towards the base of the skull.
The glass had cut through all layers of skin tissue and the underlying structures of the ear, exposing cartilage and effectively splitting the ear.
Having viewed a picture of the injury, Judge Eugene Egan said: “The lower part of the ear is sliced away.”
Lyons, of Ewart Street, Saltney Ferry, was interviewed and accepted he had assaulted Mr Edwards, but said he had no recollection of the incident and was sorry for what he had done.
The defendant later pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and possession of an offensive weapon. The court heard he was of previous good character.
In a victim personal statement read to the court by Mr Gobir, Mr Edwards said: “Since the incident I have been crying a lot, I am so upset about the state of my ear. I feel like I am deformed.
“I have had very bad anxiety including nightmares about someone always attacking me. This is happening every night and I don’t get a lot of sleep because of it.
“I’m always looking over my shoulder when I am out, and go out with friends all the time, I don’t want to be by myself. If it wasn’t for one friend in particular I wouldn’t be going out at all anywhere.
“Day to day I struggle to cope, I am anxious and paranoid and suffer with depression badly anyway but this incident made it worse….
“My left ear is permanently deformed and strangers have been making comments about it and someone said I looked like something out of Star Wars which has made my confidence way down.
“I have problems with my ear, it was leaking liquid and I kept having to go to hospital to get it redressed and it got infected. Since the incident I’ve had trouble hearing out of my injured ear which makes it hard to be in conversation.”
In mitigation, Julia Cox said her client is a father whose child was six-months-old when he was remanded in custody following the incident.
She said the defendant is hard working and has built his own business venture. The barrister said Lyons was “disgusted” by his actions.
Sentencing, Judge Egan said: “You used a glass as a weapon… You well and truly launched yourself at the victim in this case and brought the glass crashing down on the left side of his ear. You were under the influence of alcohol and cocaine was in your system.”
Lyons was sentenced to a total of three years imprisonment.
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