Man smashed pool cue across fellow player's face after he accidentally touched him

Andrew Pedder was arrested at Manchester Airport
-Credit: (Image: Hull Live)


A bad-tempered pub customer with a long history of violence angrily smashed a pool cue across another man's face with such force that the cue immediately "smashed" and "shattered" – causing "horrific" injuries to the victim.

Andrew Pedder was annoyed that the other man's cue accidentally touched him while they were both playing pool on nearby tables in the pub and the attack came "out of the blue".

He was identified and tracked down via social media and he was arrested at Manchester airport as he was about to go on holiday, Hull Crown Court heard. Pedder, 46, of Larth Close, Whitley, Goole, admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm on the man on October 14, 2022.

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Chris Bevan, prosecuting, said that the man was playing pool on a table at the Vikings pub in Western Road, Goole. Pedder was playing pool on the next table with someone else.

The other man seemingly inadvertently touched Pedder with his pool cue and the defendant turned round and hit him on the face with his cue, with such force that it caused the cue to break but leaving the man injured.

The victim suffered a wound to his nose and a serious eye injury, causing bleeding and bruising. "Things appeared to be going well and the attack seemed to be out of the blue," said Mr Bevan. The other man was taken to hospital by his family. He needed 30 stitches to his nose and five stitches to his right eye.

The man later said that he was in and out of consciousness after the incident. His eyesight was still not right and his injury would need further work. The assault had impacted on his day-to-day life and he had not been able to work in his job as a roofer for two weeks, causing him to lose money.

Pedder was identified after witnesses tracked him down on social media. He telephoned the police the next day after a press release was put out by the police.

Pedder was arrested at Manchester airport but it was not suggested that he was trying to flee. "He was going off on holiday," said Mr Bevan.

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During police interview, Pedder did not provide any answers to questions about the assault. He had convictions for 22 previous offences between 1995 and last year, six of them for assaults, including assault causing actual bodily harm in 1995 and 2012 and others of wounding and assault.

Neal Kutte, mitigating, said that Pedder was now a "different man" from how he was at the time of the incident. "The defendant understands that it was serious and it was, of course, aggravated by his previous convictions," said Mr Kutte.

Pedder had completed unpaid work as part of a suspended prison sentence imposed at Bradford Crown Court for a wounding offence. "The defendant is well on with that order," said Mr Kutte. Pedder had finished his probation service supervision some time ago and he had an offer of employment if he kept his liberty.

Judge Alexander Menary said that Pedder subjected the victim to a "wholly unprovoked attack" and hit him with a pool cue – hard enough to smash and shatter the cue.

"You are someone who has a significant history of violence," said Judge Menary. The injuries caused were "horrific" but there had been no further offending.

"You say that you are a changed man," said Judge Menary. "Well, if that's true, prove it." Sentence was deferred for six months so that Pedder could prove that he could steer clear of more offences and could save some money to pay as compensation to the victim. If he did those things, he would not be jailed when the case returned to court.

"Stay out of trouble," said Judge Menary. "Any further offences, the deal is off and all bets are off at that stage."