A six-foot eight inch, 18 stone bouncer attacked two men when he ‘lost control’ while working in a North East casino kicking one in the face and throwing a bottle at the other.

Joseph Fletcher and a colleague attacked the two men as they tried to leave the Stockton casino with a woman while carrying a bottle of beer.

The 24-year-old grabbed one in a headlock before dragging him to the ground before kicking him in the face and back – the violence was all caught on CCTV.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the defendant picked up a bottle and threw it at the second man who was also repeatedly punched by his co-accused, Calvin Eastwood.

Nigel Soppitt, prosecuting, said the two victims had been drinking in Middlesbrough before heading to the casino where the two gamblers were violently attacked.

She said: “Fletcher put a choke hold on him – it’s thought he lost consciousness for a short period of time.

“He then kicked him twice to the face before aiming a third kick which hit him in the back.”

Miss Mellor said the defendant picked up a bottle and threw at the head of the second victim leaving him bloodied and bruised.

Fletcher, of Norton Avenue, Stockton, pleaded guilty to wounding and assault following the incident on August 31, 2021.

Shada Mellor, mitigating, said his client had lost his security licence when he 'lost control' but he got his life back on track after retraining as a heavy goods vehicle driver.

She added: “He says after watching the CCTV he described as being out of character for him.”

Judge Paul Watson KC sentenced Fletcher to an 18-month custodial sentence suspended for 18 months and ordered him to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work and attend ten rehabilitation activity requirement days.

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“Whatever was said or done caused you to behave in a manner which was completely out of character for you,” he said.

“You grabbed one of them and put them in a choke hold, you were then seen throwing a bottle which hit one of them in the face and then kick the other man several times.”

Fletcher was also ordered to pay £650 in compensation to one of the victims and a further £350 towards court costs.

Eastwood, of Claremont Court, Thornaby, was sentenced at an earlier hearing for his role in the violence when he was given an 18-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.