An 18-year-old Bournemouth man was granted conditional bail by Bournemouth Magistrates Court on Wednesday, after he was charged with assault and causing criminal damage.
John Anthony Butcher of Flat 228, Argyll Road, Boscombe, was seen by an eyewitness head butting, punching, and kicking his victim to the ground on the night of March 12. Once police arrived at the scene he hurled abuse at them and showed an “aggressive attitude” towards them. He pleaded not guilty to the assault charge he but pleaded guilty to the charge of criminal damage, which involved damaging a Dorset Police fan at the station after his arrest.
Butcher’s defence argued that he was drinking heavily on the night in question and therefore had no recollection of the incident. The defence said: “The court should be slow to remand an 18-year old to prison because there were no injuries to his girlfriend. There is something strange going on. It is entirely wrong for an 18- year old to languish in prison.”
The defendant had no previous convictions but had two domestic violence reports on his record, one in February and one in March.
