​Wetherspoon Drinker Walks Free From Court After Punching 'School Bully' 15 Years Later

A pub-goer has walked free after punching a man he claims bullied him at school, having seen him in the street years later after a drinking session.

Kevin Blatchford, 38, had been at the Chevalier Inn Wetherspoon pub in Exeter on 30 July last year, telling the court how he was in a fragile mental state as his brother had died six weeks beforehand.

After leaving the boozer around lunchtime, he launched an unprovoked attack on a man he says he knew from school, pouncing from behind with a series of punches.

According to DevonLive, the victim fell to the ground, and was left with a black eye and heavy facial bruising.

Blatchford admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and was jailed for 10 months, suspended for 18 months.

He was also ordered to complete 10 days of rehabilitation at Exeter Crown Court, where Recorder Mr Malcolm Galloway told him: "This was a prolonged assault but no weapon was used. It was impulsive and spontaneous and unprovoked.

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"There was undoubtedly some background between you and the complainant.

"The probation report suggests work on your alcohol consumption and emotional resilience, in effect, not being an idiot."

Prosecuting, Miss Holly Gilbery said Blatchford - who was not represented - had been identified from the pub's CCTV footage after he was seen attacking the man by members of the public.

The surveillance video showed how Blatchford threw at least five punches, before slapping or punching the victim seven times after he had dropped to the floor.

Blatchford said his actions were 'very stupid' and 'out of character', telling the judge he had been in a fragile mental state as his brother had died six weeks previously.

He explained how he'd seen a man who he'd known at school, and decided to go and confront him - claiming the victim had bullied him as a youngster and for years afterwards.

Blatchford said: "It was a very stupid thing to do. I saw him walk past. It was a bullying thing from school.

"He was always in the last year when I was in the first.

"He took my phone off me and beat up my brother a couple of months before.

"That day I had been drinking and it caused me to see red. It was very out of character."

Topics: UK News, News, Wetherspoon

Jess Hardiman

Jess is a journalist at LADbible who graduated from Manchester University with a degree in Film Studies, English Language and Linguistics - indecisiveness at its finest, right there. She also works for FOODbible and its sister page Seitanists, which are both a safe haven for her to channel a love for homemade pasta, fennel and everything else in between. You can contact Jess at [email protected].

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