Personal trainer jailed for lashing out on night out

Friday 15 July 2016

A young personal trainer who lashed out at a man, putting him in hospital over Christmas, has been sentenced to nine months in prison and banned from licensed premises for a year when he gets out.

Daniel Roberts Kirkpatrick (24), who has just become a dad, was sentenced in Jersey's Royal Court to one month's imprisonment for being disorderly on licensed premises and nine months for a grave and criminal assault. It was another case where the Court said it wouldn't tolerate violence fuelled by drink on the streets of St Helier.

The Court heard how Kirkpatrick had thrown a drink over his shoulder in Tanguys Bar, covering another man and his friend with it as they were on the dance floor. Kirkpatrick then pretended to throw another one over him and the two ended up arguing. Kirkpatrick then slapped him in the face, and the man retaliated by slapping back twice.

The Court then heard how Kirkpatrick left the wine bar just after midnight, gesturing for the man to follow him and headed off towards Pier Road, out of shot of any CCTV cameras.

The two, who were both with friends then stopped in Pier Road, where the victim started talking to one of Kirkpatrick's female friends.

Kirkpatrick then approached him and hit him with such force to the left side of his head that he fell to the ground and lost consciousness with blood coming from his ear, while Kirkpatrick ran off into Wharf Street.

The victim was taken by ambulance to hospital where he was kept in until 3 pm on Christmas Day with what he described as a constant ringing headache and a bleeding ear.

Kirkpatrick handed himself in at the Police Station on Christmas Day where he was arrested and after hearing that the other man had been taken to hospital, sent him this message on Facebook:

"Hi, I am told that you were taken to hospital. I am sorry about what happened between us. There are no hard feelings on my part and I hope that your ok and have a good Christmas."

On Boxing Day the victim was suffering with a constant headache, felt dizzy and nauseous and was admitted back into Hospital where a CT scan revealed a fractured mastoid bone in his left ear.

He wasn't discharged from hospital until 28 December and claims he still has problems with ringing in his ear and a perforated ear drum and has been suffering from stress and anxiety about his health.

During sentencing the Judge told Kirkpatrick that those who commit violence in public in St Helier will face substantial sentences and that there is too much violence in Jersey, fuelled by drink.