Thug gets four years for glassing gay man

By Tony Grew • September 8, 2006 - 1:00

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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.

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