Man jailed for glass bottle attack in Bournemouth town centre
A man who attacked two people with a glass bottle while they were on a night out in Bournemouth has been jailed for two years.
Both victims needed stitches after Matthew Parry hit them on the head on Christchurch Road near the Lansdowne in April last year.
Parry, 35, of High Street, Margate, was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court after admitting two offences of inflicting grievous bodily harm.
The victims, a man and woman aged in their 30s, were walking along Old Christchurch Road at around 1.50am on 21 April 2019 when they walked past Parry, who was swaying and appeared drunk.
As they approached him he appeared to drop his phone. Parry then began shouting at the woman, accusing her of damaging his phone.
The victims tried to walk away, but Parry followed them and he challenged the man to a fight.
As they crossed over the Lansdowne Roundabout into Christchurch Road, Parry removed his T-shirt and continued to pursue the pair. The victims continued to walk away and as they were stood outside Zephyr bar the woman felt a blow to the side of her head. She felt something wet on her neck and realised it was blood.
The woman flagged down a passing police car and the officer found a broken glass bottle at the scene. The same bottle struck the male victim to the head and he was also bleeding from a laceration to his forehead.
The man chased Parry as he left the scene in the direction of Meyrick Road. He was given a lift by a passing taxi driver and they followed the defendant until he was detained by police near to the St Swithun’s Roundabout.
Both victims required stitches for wounds to their heads, and the man sustained damage to his nasal bones that have resulted in permanent damage.
Detective Constable Steph Ashworth, of Dorset Police, said: "This was an unprovoked violent assault on a man and woman who were simply trying to enjoy a night out and the male victim has been left with lasting damage as a result.
"I would like to thank the taxi driver for his quick thinking his willingness to help the victims. As a result of this and the fast response by officers who attended the scene, we were able to detain Matthew Parry on the night so he could be held accountable for his actions."