A REVELLER who gate crashed a work Christmas party has been jailed after smashed a glass into the face of man try to stop pestering a woman colleague.

Charlie McElvaney followed the man into the toilets and attacked him with the broken glass after his victim had punched him for refusing to stop harassing his friend.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 23-year-old carried out the attack in the Turtle Bay bar in Middlesbrough town centre before fleeing in a taxi.

Ian Mullarkey, prosecuting, said the victim had suffered significant facial injuries that required hospital treatment following the attack.

He said: "He gatecrashed a Christmas party for employees of TK Maxx at Turtle Bay in Middlesbrough, he started to pester some females before putting his arm around the male complainant.

"When asked to desist, in a non-confrontational way, he smashed a glass he was holding on a table and thrust it into the complainant's face causing wounds and permanent scarring.

"During the scuffling, the defendant lost a tooth before following the complainant to the toilet area in an attempt to punch him before leaving the bar with friends in a taxi.

"The incident was caught on poor quality CCTV which was shown during the trial."

Mr Mullarkey said the victim had suffered permanent scarring as a result of the attack.

The Northern Echo: Charlie McElvaneyCharlie McElvaney

McElvaney, of Ambleside Grove, was found guilty of wounding with intent of causing grievous bodily harm following a trial.

Rod Hunt, in mitigation, said his client was learning a harsh lesson for his behaviour and had never been in prison before.

He said: "I would submit that this was a reaction to having his tooth knocked out and responding with a loss of temper in the heat of the moment."

Recorder Paul Reid sentenced McElvaney to five and half years for the attack in December 2019.

"You were described by a witness as being 'wound up', you were holding a cocktail-type glass in your hand. You smashed it on the table and then with an overarm movement you struck the victim in the face with the glass in your hand causing him permanent, disfiguring injuries," he said.

"His injuries required treatment at James Cook University Hospital for cuts to his face, chin and lower lip – they were shown graphically in the photographs taken."

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