Birthday girl punched unconscious in Wind Street bar by Gendros man

A BIRTHDAY girl out celebrating her 22nd was punched in the face and knocked unconscious in a Swansea bar.

The incident has sparked yet more criticism of city centre violence.

As 21-year-old Vivian Goosey was sent down for the assault, the judge described "casual violence" among young people in city centres as an "appalling feature of modern life".

Swansea Crown Court heard Goosey was in Retro bar, in Wind Street, when he began to "pester" a fellow pubber.

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When his advances towards her were rebuffed he pushed her, causing her friend Kara Fowler to intervene — Goosey then punched Miss Fowler in the face, knocking her to the ground and rendering her unconscious.

The court heard the victim had been out celebrating her 22nd birthday on August 3 last year when she was attacked, and that the blow caused a cut on her nose, a black eye, a swollen jaw and the loosening of several teeth.

Self-employed shop fitter Goosey, from Rhos Road in Gendros, had previously pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm when he appeared at court for sentencing.

In mitigation, James Hartson described the incident as a "most disgraceful episode" and said his client was a man of previously clean character who was deeply sorry for what he had done.

He said: "This was not just out of character, it was an aberration.

"Clearly, alcohol was the principal causal factor in his loss of control."

He asked for any custodial sentence to be suspended but Goosey was jailed for six months.

Recorder Keith Bush said: "Casual violence amongst young people out and about in city centres is an appalling feature of modern life.

"In my view, part of the task of the courts is to protect people from the consequences of the kind of behaviour you exhibited on that night.

"Young people should be able to have a pleasant drink with their friends without having to witness, let alone be the victims of, casual violence.

"I have to take into consideration the message that will go out to other people who are tempted to act the way you did — if I suspend the sentence I believe that message will be very much blunted.

"My public duty does not enable me to suspend the sentence."

Last week a judge made similar comments about the city centre when he jailed two men involved in an assault in Swansea's Wind Street.

Judge Peter Heywood said: "There doesn't seem to be a night that goes by that there isn't trouble in Wind Street, inside and outside clubs. It seems to be a catalyst for violence."

And after new year pictures were published on several national websites showing drunken behaviour in Wind Street the scenes led to calls for the city to clean up its act.