Drunken Shropshire thug whose punch broke man's eye socket spared jail and ordered to pay victim £1,500

William Michael Potter, 29, lashed out on a night out in Whitchurch in an unprovoked attack outside the Last Orders pub in Watergate.

The victim was about to walk a female friend home on the night of November 18, 2017, when Potter called him over.

CCTV footage shown at Shrewsbury Crown Court clearly featured Potter unleashing the blow, sending the man staggering backwards.

Prosecutor Phillip Beardwell said the victim couldn't remember the incident, and he didn't seek medical attention until the next day.

Mr Beardwell told the court: "He was in a lot of pain. He went to Princess Royal Hospital in Telford with a nasty black eye. He was x-rayed and found to have a broken eye socket.

"The defendant was easily traced and arrested."

Nasty

Potter gave a no comment interview to police and was due to go to trial, but pleaded guilty the day before his court date after seeing the incriminating CCTV footage.

Mr Beardwell added that the victim is now "wary about going out" and has issues with his appearance because of the attack.

Potter, of Bargate, Whitchurch, pleaded guilty to a grievous bodily harm without intent.

Michael Anning, defending, said that Potter had been drinking more than usual because of the recent death of his grandmother, who raised him.

He added: "He wishes he'd never done it and knows it was stupid of him. He said that it takes a bigger man to walk away."

Judge Peter Barrie said to Potter: "He was walking towards you with his hands in his pockets. He was no threat to you at all. It was a severe and nasty blow and a nasty injury."

He told Potter that he was avoiding prison "by the skin of your teeth", and gave him an 11-month sentence, suspended for 18 months.

Potter was also ordered to do 100 hours unpaid work and do 25 rehabilitation activity days as well as pay the victim's compensation.