A ‘family man’ ordered vodka and bottles of beer to his table before drinking booze and hurling a gin bottle at a man at a bar on Deansgate.
Business owner Martin Bowker, 46, had booked to visit the Box Bar, near Spinningfields, on December 9 2022, which was showing the Croatia v Brazil World Cup Quarter Final. Manchester Crown Court heard how he had pre-ordered over 20 bottles of lager and a bottle of vodka.
The victim was on a night out with his fiancée – now his wife – and friends, and paid a visit to the city centre bar after going around the Christmas Markets.
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“The defendant then threw a beer bottle which hit [the victim] in his face and a gin bottle which then hit him on the nose,” said prosecuting barrister Ms Caitlin Stiles. Yesterday (October 15), the court heard how a second beer bottle was also thrown, hitting the victim’s fiancée, but she was uninjured.
“Three bottles were thrown consecutively, two striking the victim and another hitting a female he was with,” said Ms Stiles.
The two groups of friends then moved ‘towards each other’. CCTV footage played out in court showed a brawl erupting shortly before Mr Bowker was removed by the doorman, Manchester Crown Court heard.
“[The victim] flagged down a police car after leaving the bar as he was walking to a Metrolink stop,” Ms Stiles said. “He attended Trafford hospital with bruised and swollen nose.”
Doctors said the victim had sustained a ‘soft tissue injury’ and was told he had a ‘hairline fracture’ to his nose following the incident, the court was told.
In a victim impact statement read out in court, the victim said: “The World Cup was on and I was out on a double date with my fiancée and our friends. We had been to the Christmas Markets and enjoying time together. We met friends in the Box bar and we were enjoying catching up.
“All I remember is chatting to my friend and seeing a half full bottle coming towards me. The impact made my nose burst and I felt blood. All I could think was ‘please don’t let my nose be broken’. The pain was unbearable.
“What on earth had happened for someone to want to throw this object? I still to this day don’t know why the bottles were thrown in my direction.”
The victim, who was left with black eyes, added: “I hated what I saw then I looked in the mirror. Both my eyes were bruised and I had concern that I would look awful on my wedding day. On Christmas day I didn’t want to be in any photos with my family and didn’t want my grandparents to see me like this.
“Whoever threw the bottle did that and was able to enjoy their night with their friends, but I was in excruciating pain. What had I done to deserve this? I hope nobody has to be in my position when spending time with their friends and loved ones around Christmas time.”
Defending, Mr Robert Kearney said that Bowker had no previous relevant convictions and had sought counselling in the two years since the incident. The case took almost two years to reach sentencing due to delays in CPS and police enquiries, the court heard.
“This is completely out of character. He is a family man who runs a successful business and is at low risk of reoffending,” Mr Kearney said, as he described the incident as ‘short-lived impulsive stupidity’.
Bowker, of Tarbet Drive in Bolton, previously pleaded guilty to the charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and affray.
Sentencing him, Judge Patrick Field KC said: “You had gone out for a pleasant evening with your friends to watch the World Cup. [The victim] was out with his fiancée and his friends to enjoy the evening.
“However, he had the misfortune to become the victim of an unprovoked attack when you threw, and threw forcefully, three bottles towards him, two of which struck him and the other, his fiancée.
“This was an extraordinary incident of, if I may say, unprovoked, loutish and potentially very dangerous, violent behaviour. He certainly didn’t anticipate he would ended up with a bloodied nose having been struck by a large bottle.
“The reason why you behaved like this is hard to fathom, and it doesn’t appear that anybody has yet gotten to the bottom of it.
“This was a busy public place. Others were put in fear and at risk from what you did. You have said you are remorseful and ashamed, and you should be ashamed.”
Bowker was sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, ordered to pay £700 in victim compensation and a £150 surcharge.
