Shropshire Star

Ludlow thug broke victim’s eye socket in three places with a single punch

A Ludlow thug who fractured his victim's eye socket in three places with a single punch has avoided jail.

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Quaid Bundy, a 26-year-old with a string of previous convictions, was instead handed a suspended sentence when he appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court.

Bundy, of Houseman Crescent, Ludlow, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm at an earlier appearance at Telford Magistrates' Court.

His victim, 28-year-old Jonathan Owen, told in a statement of how the physical affects of the unprovoked assault had been compounded by depression, panic attacks and fear of leaving the house.

Nicholas Williams, prosecuting, said on the evening of July 17, 2017, Mr Owen was in Ludlow town centre picking up a takeaway when he was approached by the defendant.

Mr Owen was standing next to his car having placed the food on the back seat, when Bundy confronted him with a punch to the face. The blow caused Mr Owen to fall into the car and his girlfriend, who had been waiting in the passenger seat, was able to pull him in and lock the door.

The couple returned home but called an ambulance when Mr Owen began coughing up blood later that night. A CT scan revealed the fractures to his left eye socket.

In his statement, Mr Owen said he was unable to eat solids for a month as his face was so swollen, he suffered from headaches and was temporarily unable to see out of the eye.

He said the attack had left him anxious, unable to leave the house alone and the fear of a repeat assault led him to get CCTV installed at his home.

The court heard Bundy's first conviction was for arson when he was just 14. Since then, he had been sentenced a further 11 times for offences including ABH, posession with intent to supply class A drugs and criminal damage. His last conviction was in 2014.

Stephen Scully, defending, said Bundy had split up with his partner that day and had drunk alcohol and smoked cannabis.

He said Bundy and Mr Owen had previously fallen out but "what happened on July 17 was far beyond anything that had happened before".

Mr Scully said Bundy was now back with his girlfriend, who was supporting him in court along with his mother, and was attempting to start up his own business.

He added: "He is extremely remorseful and doesn't want to return to the young man who was regularly appearing before the court."

Judge Anthony Lowe told Bundy: "That 10-second loss of temper and control resulted in a very long period of suffering. Having a bad day is no excuse for violence."

He sentenced him to 10 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, during which time he must complete rehabilitation activities and a behaviour programme to address violence.

Bundy will pay £1,500 compensation to Mr Owen and a restraining order was imposed for five years.

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