Thug gets four years for glassing gay man

By Tony Grew • September 8, 2006 - 0:00

No Comments Yet on Thug gets four years for glassing gay man

Colin Black and his boyfriend Paul were enjoying a Boxing Day drink with family members in the City Arms pub in Saltney, Cheshire.

The couple were excited - they had planned to have a civil partnership ceremony a few days after Christmas.

As Black returned from the toilet, he was verbally abused. When he turned to see who had called him a queer, a bottle was smashed in his face by Anthony Close.

Black told the court of the hatred with which Close attacked him, saying that even working as a traffic warden in Manchester did not prepare him for the ferocity with which the glass bottle was shoved into his face.

He has been left with a 3cm scar on his chin.

The 19-year-old thug was found guilty of wounding with intent to cause GBH earlier this week at Knutsford Crown Court.

Passing sentence, the Recorder, as reported by icCheshireonline.co.uk, said : "The scar from the injuries you inflicted on Colin Black will be a constant reminder to him of the events of that Boxing Day."

Despite a laughable claim from defence lawyer Vincent Yip that the teenage thug is not homophobic and has gay friends, Recorder Geriant Williams sent Close to a young offender's institution for four years.

The length of the sentence was increased because the crime was homophobic.

Share this story with the world These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages.