Bouncer had 'moment of madness' and attacked drunken reveller during Wakefield bar spat
A bouncer at a busy city-centre bar lashed out at a reveller who began abusing him for refusing him entry.
Peter Hilliam struck the man to the head when he became aggressive towards the staff member. The victim fell back and split his scalp on the pavement, Leeds Crown Court heard. The 39-year-old was found guilty after a trial of ABH. He has no previous convictions.
Hilliam was on the door at Kindred Spirit on May 29, 2021, when the victim and his partner, who had been drinking all day, tried to get into the Albion Court venue at around midnight. The couple had already been in a previous confrontation with staff at another nearby bar - Mex Bar - in which Hilliam had been called as back up.
CCTV was used during the trial which showed that the victim refused to walk away after being denied entry to Kindred Spirit. He got close to Hilliam and was being verbally abusive. He then began to walk away but returned, which is when Hilliam struck out.
The court accepted it was a slap, rather than a punch, and that he attempted to strike the man twice, with the second missing as the man tumbled to the floor. The victim has no memory of the incident.
Mitigating during his sentencing hearing, Jo Shepherd said father-of-five Hilliam, who is also an ex soldier, had been regularly attacked working as a door supervisor.
She said it had been three years since the incident, and that he had stayed out of trouble. A letter was also penned to the judge from the security firm which indicated they still wanted Hilliam to work for them.
The judge, Recorder Harry Vann told Hilliam: “It was an impulsive loss of temper. You snapped. It was in excess of self defence.”
Acknowledging Hilliam’s remorse and the provocation from the victim, he added: “It was indeed a moment of madness but it does not in any way excuse the loss of self control.”
He gave him a 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work and 10 rehabilitation days.