Man to compensate victim after attack in Bourne

A 20-year-old man who broke the jaw of another man he thought might be a threat to his sister, has been ordered to carry out unpaid work and pay compensation.

Reece Wells of Thyme Avenue, Bourne, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm on Daniel Harris, when he appeared at Boston Magistrates' Court on Wednesday (April 20).

Lou Johnson, prosecuting, said there had been an altercation between two women outside the Late Bar, above the Nags Head in Bourne, at 2.30am on January 29 and the victim, Mr Harris, had recognised one of the women as the daughter of a friend and he went to intervene.

However, Wells, whose sister was the other woman involved in the altercation, went over to Mr Harris and punched him in the face, fracturing his jaw, requiring hospital treatment. Ms Johnson said Wells was arrested and was remorseful from the beginning.

Mitigating, Daven Naghen said Wells had no previous convictions and was "genuinely remorseful from the moment it happened".

He said it had been "almost a pre emptive strike" to protect his sister and had been a single punch.

District judge Peter Veits said it had not been the "most sensible decision in the world" but he was sure he had learnt from it.

He ordered Wells to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work for the community and to pay £300 in compensation to Mr Harris. He was also ordered to pay a total of £180 in court costs and charges.