Man smashed wine bottle over his neighbour's head after 'paint incident' turned violent

Cefndre, Wrexham
-Credit: (Image: Google instant street view)


A Wrexham man hit a neighbour over the head twice with a wine bottle. Paul Griffiths admitted assault causing actual bodily harm but was spared jail today.

Mold Crown Court heard Griffiths, of Cefndre, Wrexham, and neighbour Craig Penlington had been neighbours without incident for five years. Mr Penlington had put his rubbish in the defendant's bin since October 2022 but there had been an incident involving paint between them.

Mr Penlington was walking his dog with his young son on March 18 last year when he encountered Griffiths, 46, who was walking nearby. Griffiths took out a glass bottle from a bag and raised it saying "come on then," the court heard.

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Mr Penlington replied: "Not when I'm with my son." You can sign up for all the latest court stories here

But the prosecutor Nicholas Williams said Griffiths struck Mr Penlington on the head with the glass bottle, believed to have been a wine bottle, then did it again. The court also heard today that a witness confirmed Mr Penlington was hit twice with the bottle by Griffiths, and that the glass smashed the second time with liquid pouring onto Mr Penlington.

The witness said he then saw Mr Penlington turn towards Griffiths and punch him in the face, knocking him out. Mr Penlington asked the witness to call an ambulance and Grifffiths spent the night in hospital.

Duncan Bould, defending, claimed both men had been aggressive. Mr Penlington suffered a nasty cut on the back of his head, although people can die from a single punch, he said.

It had been a "moment of madness" by Griffiths initially and he told a probation officer that committing the offence had been "the worst decision of his life".

Griffiths is "polite, courteous and softly-spoken" and a valued member of his workforce. It is "hard to believe he could have behaved in this way," added Mr Bould.

The judge His Honour Niclas Parry told Griffiths he had used the bottle as a weapon and children were present. But he is remorseful and there had been no repeat of the behaviour in the last 18 months.

He gave Griffiths a 12-month jail term suspended for 18 months. He must do 25 days of rehabilitation activity and pay Mr Penlington £1,000 in compensation.

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