Jail for Worksop thug who smashed pint glass into teenagers face - narrowly missing his eye

Macaulley Hancock had been drinking with his brother in the Vine pub in Carlton Road, when the teen had walked past, along with another male, on their way to play snooker, Nottingham Crown Court heard on Thursday, March 11.

Hancock’s brother, who was described in court as being extremely drunk at the time of the offence, had gone out onto the street and started hurling abuse at the pair, the court heard.

When they challenged him, Hancock had come out of the pub and hit the teen in the face, knocking him to the ground and the glass smashing on impact, said Richard Thatcher, prosecuting.

The two had then fled the scene but were both chased by Hancock and his brother, the court heard.

The teen was left with three cuts to his face with one of them very close to his eye, Mr Thatcher said.

He told the court: “He was holding a glass in his hand which had about an inch of beer left in it. He was told to relax but he grabbed the teenager by the shoulders and it was clear that he was squaring up for a fight.

“The teenager tried to push him away and took two swings at him but missed, and the defendant hit him in the face with the glass in his hand, which broke on impact.”

The court heard that Hancock, 24, currently of HMP Lincoln, but formerly of Potter Street, Worksop, had been released from custody prior to the incident, having been recalled for breaching bail conditions, after stealing goods to buy presents for his two children.

Following the attack, in November 2019, he was later remanded into custody and has spent the last six months in prison, the court heard.

Mitigating, Dawn Pritchard said: “He fully accepts that this matter crosses the custodial threshold and he simply wants to know what his fate is today.

“There was clearly pushing and blows between both sides, but he took it further by using the glass. It wasn't the case that he broke the glass and pushed it into someone’s face, but he was holding it and it broke on impact.”

Hancock had admitted unlawful wounding when he appeared before the court at a previous hearing.

Sentencing him to 18 months in prison, Judge Stuart Rafferty QC told him: “You’d had too much to drink and were too quick to take offence, and too hasty to jump in and protect your brother, who could barely stand up.

“You must have known you had that glass in your hand, but you lashed out with it in the heat of the moment and it’s a miracle that this boy didn’t lose an eye.”

Police Constable Joshua Gibbons led the investigation. He said: "The victim was incredibly lucky that his injuries didn’t impact his eyesight. He was literally millimetres to possibly losing his sight in his left-eye.

"The attack was unprovoked and left a man requiring hospital treatment for what were pretty serious injuries. Thankfully he's now made a full recovery.

"Hopefully today’s sentence will give Hancock time to reflect on his unnecessary and disgraceful actions.”

Editor’s message: In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Sam Jackson, editor.