Ringwood man Kane Watts given suspended jail sentence after admitting causing grievous bodily harm at Boathouse in Christchurch

A CUSTOMER at the Boathouse in Christchurch repeatedly smashed another man over the head with an ornamental garden stone, slashing his face and breaking his teeth, a court heard.

The vicious attack, which was caught on CCTV, left Kane Watts’ victim Casey Burgess with a lifelong scar and having to pay over £2,000 for dental work.

Footage played at Bournemouth Crown Court showed Watts (29) hitting Mr Burgess over and over again with the object until police arrived and pepper-sprayed him.

Prosecutor Tom Wright told how Watts had been in “high spirits” on the night of the incident on 11th July 2020, revealing that he had earlier been asked to leave the bar after “getting his penis out”.

But he returned and later got into a fight with Mr Burgess who left – but then returned to the outside bar and encountered Watts.

There was another fight between them with Watts described by Mr Wright as the “more aggressive of the two”.

The defendant picked up an ornamental stone from the ground and “threw it straight into Mr Burgess’s face” leaving a “laceration of some size”.

Mr Burgess was then “tackled” by Watts’ girlfriend who hit him with her handbag.

In the CCTV footage Mr Burgess and the woman can be seen grappling, with someone heard repeatedly screaming.

Mr Wright said the defendant then “launched a kung-fu, Cantona-style kick, at Mr Burgess”.

He went on: "He then hits Mr Burgess a number of times on the head with an ornamental stone.

"Police were quickly on the scene and restrained Mr Watts who was very animated.

"He was very angry, shouting and spitting blood and being very aggressive.”

Watts, a marine electrician of Old Mill House, Ringwood, had pleaded guilty at an earlier court appearance to causing grievous bodily harm.

Defending, Edward Warren said the attack was “completely out of character” for Watts who has no previous convictions.

Watts' boss described him in a letter to the court as an “outstanding” employee.

Mr Warren said Watts was “keen to put the incident behind him”, describing it as “regrettable”.

He added: “This is just a sorry incident largely fuelled by alcohol.”

Recorder Don Tait told Watts he had caused a “very serious injury” to Mr Burgess’s face.

He added: “Both you and he had been drinking that day and I have no doubt that to all intents and purposes this was completely out of character for you.

“It was fuelled by alcohol, then the fact your partner got involved. You armed yourself with a weapon and used excessive force when initially you were acting in self-defence.”

Watts was jailed for 18 months, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to undertake 150 hours of unpaid work and pay his victim compensation of £3,000.