Jail for man who headbutted victim outside pub during karaoke night

A man has been jailed after he was caught on CCTV head butting a man outside a pub and leaving him unconscious in the road. Edward Boulton punched David Hills as he went out of the Ebberley Arms in Barnstaple, Devon, to ask his sister Kelly to join him in a karaoke duet. He knocked Mr Hills back inside the pub and when he came out again he resumed the attack, punching him to the pavement and head butting him at least three times. He walked away and when police arrested him nearby he accused the victim of throwing a glass at him and told the officer: "I punched him out because he glassed me. It's his fault, not mine."

Boulton, 22, of Barnstaple, admitted affray and was jailed for 18 months by Judge Graham Cottle at Exeter Crown Court. He told him: "What happened was captured from first to last by CCTV and I have seen the footage. This is a serious case of violence outside licensed premises late at night when you were seriously under the influence of drink. It shows you headbutting the man three times and punching him to the face. He was left unconscious on the road and you walked away. Both he and his sister suffered some injury, but fortunately not serious.



"The probation report writer concludes your risk to the public is increasing and is considered medium to high. You take little responsibility for your actions and tend to blame others. You have a bad record for violence and are quite clearly unable to control your emotions and actions. In a case of this sort there is no alternative to immediate custody." Tom Bradnock, prosecuting, said the trouble started on the street outside the pub at 9.50pm on August 8, 2014, when Kelly Hills started arguing with Boulton, who was making comments about her brother. He came out of the pub to ask his sister to join him in a karaoke song and was immediately punched in the face and fell back inside the building.

He is clearly identifiable on the CCTV because his right arm and were in a plaster cast. The footage showed a glass being thrown out of the pub by an unidentified person and David Hills coming out again and being attacked for a second time before being grappled to the ground by Boulton who headbutted him and left him unconscious. Richard Crabb, defending, said Boulton was a well-known figure around Barnstaple, who only got into trouble when he drank too much. Mr Crabb said it was clear from the footage that Kelly Hills started the incident outside and Boulton reacted because he thought it was her brother who threw the glass, which clipped his ear and caused a small cut.