'You could have killed him' - Man has skull fractured after being hurled to the floor outside Shrewsbury club
A man who fractured another man's skull by hurling him to the ground outside a bar has been ordered to pay his victim £2,500 in compensation.
David Roberts had been out with friends in Shrewsbury town centre in August last year, Shrewsbury Crown Court heard.
Mr Howard Searle, prosecuting, said the group were in The Beach bar, where Callum Powell also was with friends.
An altercation happened in the bar between members of both groups.
Mr Searle said an incident then happened between Roberts and Mr Powell outside the bar.
CCTV footage was shown to the court of the men leaving the bar.
Mr Searle told the court: "The defendant grabbed him and hurled him to the floor.
"People then tended to the victim.
"Somebody else pushed the defendant away."
The court heard that Mr Powell suffered a fractured skull and had to spend several days in hospital.
Roberts, 25, of Lorelei Close, Shrewsbury, pleaded guilty to assault causing grievous bodily harm at an earlier court hearing.
Mr Robert Edwards, representing Roberts, said he accepted the custody threshold had been passed but argued that any prison sentence should be suspended.
Mr Edwards told Judge Jim Tindal: "He is a hardworking young man who recognises he's put his future life in your hands, all through a stupid act.
"He is distraught at what he has done and the prospect he faces today.
"This is something utterly and totally out of character for this defendant."
Judge Tindal told Roberts he could have killed his victim and, if so, he could have been stood in the dock being sentenced for manslaughter.
He said: "It was probably only 10 seconds of your life but in that 10 seconds you almost threw your life away.
"That was not a push.
"It was a hurl with some considerable force.
"As a result of that, your victim suffered quite a serious skull fracture.
"You could have killed him."
Roberts was handed a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work.
Judge Tindal said he would also have to pay £2,500 compensation to Mr Powell.
He told him: "You've now had your one chance, you won't get another one."
