Bassetlaw dad hurled bottle that hit someone in violent Christmas Day fracas

Josh Button pleaded guilty to his role in an affray that happened on Mary Street, Rhodesia, on December 25, 2020, but sentencing was deferred for six months to see if he could stay out of trouble.

Eunice Gedzah, prosecuting at Nottingham Crown Court, said Button also admitted taking a vehicle without the owner's consent and driving it, without a licence, or insurance, while drunk, on October 19, last year, said prosecutor

He was stopped on Retford Road, Worksop, and a breath test revealed he had 80 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, when the legal limit is 35mcg.

The offences put him in breach of a 14-week prison sentence, suspended for two years, imposed by Nottingham magistrates for assault and criminal damage, in October 2020.

Stefan Fox, mitigating, said there has been no further offending of any kind and Button, aged 25, has “made progress with stopping drinking and is feeling much better in himself”.

Judge Michael Auty KC said: “I deferred sentence because he seemed, at long last, to have turned a corner.

“I have a little more sympathy because he stood alone in the dock when there should have been two other people standing beside him.

“Anyone who throws a bottle that hits someone takes a real risk even if they don't intend to hurt anyone.

“Fortunately it caused less injury than it could have done.”

Button appeared at court via video-link from his home on Queen Elizabeth Crescent, Rhodesia, because he has Covid.

The judge told him: “I am also impressed you found work for a time, but circumstances altered recently and you are now looking after your children.”

He imposed a nine-month prison term, but suspended it for 18 months, and ordered Button to carry out 20 rehabilitation days which will give him strategies for “dealing with the temptation to behave in a silly manner”.

He was also banned from driving for 12 months.